State of Mind
by RaiLei
Summary: Memories were important - but what if you couldn't remember them? Surviving the Saint Anne was one thing, but Ash and company weren't prepared for Gyardos's Dragon Rage or the after effects it could have on their lives ...
1. 001: A Different Day

_And maybe, on a different day_

_I'd let the rain wash this away_

_But it's just too late_

_The sad sad side of it all_

_Is you don't remember_

_-Different Day: State of Shock_

_###_

The headline made news _everywhere_.

The St. Anne had sunk just outside Vermillion City's harbour.

The reason's for its' sinking was unknown.

As the ship started taking on water during its annual _'Pokémon Trainer'_ cruise, all of the trainers were believed to have boarded the life boats. However, upon their rescue hours later in the icy sea, five trainers had been deemed missing upon being unaccounted for upon rescue.

The next morning, it was being broadcasted on the television both in and outside of Kanto.

Everyone in the world would be talking about the horrible news.

"The St. Anne sinks outside of Vermillion harbour due to unknown reasons during its annual Pokémon Trainer cruise. All of the trainers were believed to have fled to the life boats as was reported last night. However, with new information we have received from the officers in Vermillion, we regretfully have to inform you of five trainers deemed missing and are feared to be dead," here, the newscaster rustled through their pages, before returning their gaze to the camera. "The missing trainers are Ash Ketchum, Misty Williams, Brock Slate, Jessie Smitt and James Morgan. They have not been confirmed at the checkpoint in Vermillion. Our condolences go out to the family of these trainers who have had their Pokémon dreams cut short and anyone who –"

The television flicked off.

With shaking hands, the remote fell to the floor, a muffled scream escaping her lips as her hands flew to her mouth. Her legs gave was underneath her, folding as she collapsed onto the couch, her vision blurry as she pulled at her red hair.

"Ash . . . _Ash_ . . ."

Just like that, Delia Ketchum's world fell apart.

Her son – _her _baby – was missing.

_Her_ Pokémon Master was proclaimed missing, possibly dead, never to walk through the front door again, grinning ear to ear about his newest catch.

He was dead.

At ten, her star was gone.

"Why . . ." Her voice broke, her vision swimming with tears. "Why were _you_ on that ship?"

###

At Oak's lab, the Professor paused, the news playing quietly in the background. The microwave buzzed off over his head, drowning out the monotone voice of the reporter.

"Finally," the older Professor mumbled, opening the microwave door. Pulling the steaming pan from the microwave, he moved towards the kitchen table, setting it down. "After this, I have that conference call with Professor's Ivy and Elm."

"_. . . Ash Ketchum, Misty . . ."_

Professor Oak paused as he caught the dark haired trainers' name, dropping his fork in the process. Turning around, he glanced at the television located above the sink, raising an eyebrow as he reached for the remote, turning the volume up.

"Ash and his friends," he mumbled, only catching half of it. "_Not_ confirmed?"

With a raised eyebrow, he glanced at the scrolling bar at the bottom of the screen. As he read the simple line, his eyes widening, hardly believing what was before him. "I can't believe. . ." he shook his head, glancing out the window, Pallet Town beneath it. "We've _never_ faced anything like this."

While he knew Pallet Town would be surprised of the death of a Pokémon Trainer so young, but he wondered of the effects this would have on Delia. He'd know the carefree girl from the days she spent at his lab learning about Pokémon alongside another couple trainers before leaving to see the world on her own. She didn't return to the rural town until three years later, a baby in her arms, all her belongings fitting in a travel bag. She never spoke about what had transpired, only that it was in the past and it didn't matter.

But, to have her whole world pulled out from under her . . .

Shaking his head, he sighed, glancing at his microwave dinner. Turning his back on it, he quickly left the kitchen, heading down the stairwell. Locking the front door behind him, the Professor made his way down the steep stairs, Pallet Town below.

###

"Daisy!" Lily yelled, her voice echoing through the spacious house. "We're going to be _late_!"

Sighing, she flipped her pink hair back, a frown marring her features. Crossing her arms over her chest, she drummed her fingers against her arm, impatient. Glancing at the empty hallway before her, she had to roll her eyes. Wasn't Daisy the one who was _always_ early, hustling herself and Violet along?

"Daisy!" she shouted again, slipping out of her heels. "Come on – we're not expecting anyone at the gym for _hours_! You know how Francesco gets if we're late . . ."

After performing their Water Ballet for the past month, all that chlorine and stage makeup was slowly starting to ruin their complexion and their _hair_ . . . oh! After all that chlorine it was just . . . Lily forced back a shudder. Luckily, Francesco had been able to squeeze them in between working with the pop artist Brittany and her Igglypuff's in Johto and Paris of Sinnoh. She'd have to remember to send him a thank you afterwards.

_But_, she thought idly. _If we make him wait . . . _She'd heard what he'd done to Jessebelle two months previous.

"I'm going to go without you!" she shouted, stopping at the bottom of the stairs, hands on her hips. "Violet?" she called, suppressing a sigh as she started up the stairs. "You two better not have left without me!"

Down the hallway, the door to Daisy's room swung open, Violet sticking her head out. Lily paused, raising an eyebrow as she took in the purple haired girls' expression. She could see the tears welling up in her eyes from this distance, her makeup smeared. "Wow . . . you _really_ need to see Francesco. Maybe you should go –"

"We cancelled it."

"C-Cancelled? Why?!"

Violet blinked, running a hand under her eyes. "Haven't you _heard_ the news?"

Lily blinked, raising an eyebrow at her sisters' piercing stare. "Like no, I don't have time for that," she laughed, flipping her hair back. "I mean, do you _know_ how long it took to get –"

Violet sighed, tuning out her sister as she glanced back into the room before smiling warily at Lily, who was still talking away. Shaking her head, she reached forward, grabbing Lily's arm – effectively cutting her off – dragging her into the dimly lit room.

"Wow, Daisy doesn't look too good," she stage whispered as she caught sight of the blonde.

Violet shot her a look, frowning. Daisy sat curled up in the chair beside the bed, the mounted television set playing lowly, illuminating the room. The flower was missing from her hair, her usual blonde hair hanging limply around her face, still donning her pajamas. Tearing her eyes away from the television, Daisy's blue eyes swam slightly as she glanced at her sisters, smiling warily.

"Lily, you'll like never –"

"You look really bad," Lily said bluntly. "You could _so_ use –"

"It's about Misty," Violet interrupted, scowling at Lily. "It's . . ."

"What'd she do now?" Lily whined. "Unless she became the Water Pokémon Master, it's _no_ reason to cancel Francesco."

Daisy glared at her, drawing her knees closer to her. "Misty's . . . dead . . ."

Lily blinked, surprised. Shaking her head, a laugh bubbled from her lips, dying moments later. Sensing the awkwardness, she glanced from Daisy to Violet and back again, expecting them to say something. Upon hearing nothing, she frowning, realization setting in, "Misty's . . ." she shook her head. "How?"

Daisy only nodded, glancing back at the television, turning it up for good measure.

Violet smiled warily, dropping Lily's arm. "Misty and Ash and a bunch of people didn't make it off the boat."

"What?" Lily muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Like, start at the beginning."

"Misty and a bunch of trainers got invited to the St. Anne's Pokémon Bay Cruise and the ship sunk with five of them still on it!" Violet's voice rose as she spoke, almost yelling by the end.

"And like, Misty went down with it?" Lily said dryly. Then, "Oh my . . . _god_ . . ."

Shaking her head, she glanced past Violet, catching sight of the television set, a picture of the St. Anne appearing in the corner, the reporter on scene in Vermillion City.

_I can't believe Misty got to go on a cruise_, Lily thought idly, falling onto Daisy's bed.

###

Water lapped against the beach, trying to claim the cool sand as the sun made its appearance, peeking its way over the horizon. As the sun slowly crept into the sky, a figure was spotted in the sand, washed up by the ocean's currents. The figure was all alone, the usually crowded beach surprisingly empty.

With the sun on his back, his fingers slowly started to twitch, a groan escaping his parched lips. Slowly coming too, his fingers curled into a fist, his movements sluggish as he tried to push himself up into a sitting position. After a few slow moments, he blinked, taking in his surroundings. A cough escaped his lips, his lungs protesting the fresh air.

Shaking his head, his dark bangs falling into his eyes, he started down at the grains of salt beneath him. Doubling over, a fit of coughs wracked his body, expelling the salty water from his system. Mumbling to himself, he ran a hand over his features, dripping wet. Running a hand through his hair, he vaguely thought something was missing.

Dispelling the thought, he slowly pushed himself up off the ground, staggering slightly. A frown marred his features as he realized a shoe was missing, a white sock replacing it. Wringing his hands together before him, he glanced over his shoulder at the calm waters.

_A dark storm . . . a cold wind . . ._

The calm stretched out before him seemed wrong. Sighing, he shook his head as no memories came to him, his vision swimming before him. Turning his back to the calm waters, he stretched his arms out before him, stifling a yawn. Shoving his hands into his coat pockets, he glanced at the rocky path leading away from the beach and through the forest that separated the beach from the busy roads and bustling cities.

"Where . . ." he mumbled, his voice raspy from lack of use. "Am I . . .?"

He couldn't explain it as he stood up, his balance wobbly as he moved towards the path leading away from the calm scene before him.

He couldn't help but think that something . . . some_one_ was missing.

"Who . . . why am I . . .?"

But, his mind was blank; he _didn't_ remember.

###

"_I can't believe we got tickets . . . free ones too! If only we could travel the world in this. It'd be awesome; lounging in chairs, taking in the sights –"_

"_No way," her companion complained, curling his nose up. "We won't get any Pokémon that way. You're such a girl –"_

"_No I'm not – take that back! I'm not like them, don't even say that."_

"_Then why do you want to spend forever on there then?" he muttered, rolling his eyes. "Come on, we're going around the bay and heading towards Saffron City."_

"_Augh, you'll get your stupid badge," she grumbled, shoving the trainer lightly. "Is that _really_ all you can think about?"_

_She frowned as the trainer let out a laugh, shaking his head at her words. Walking ahead of her, he glanced to their third and silent companion, speaking to the darker trainer._

"_You're _not_ leaving without me," she commented, picking up her pace._

_But, before her eyes, the two started to fade, disappearing into the fog. She found herself standing there, alone on the pier, the water . . . the darkness. Picking her pace up, she sprinted through the darkness, smiling when she saw the two stop ahead of her. _

_But, in the blink of an eye, the two were _**gone**_._

"_Wait!" she shouted, balling her hands into fists. "Come back here! Don't go . . ."_

"Is she okay?" A blue haired woman asked, a frown marring her features, hands on her hips. "She looks like . . ."

"She was found on a raft half way to Sinnoh, Solona." A dry voice sounded, rolling their eyes. "A couple more hours and the Spearow's would have found her."

"Jackie!" Solona shouted, stepping closer to the blonde. "That's just . . . there's no words for it!"

The blonde shrugged, turning his back to her. "You're taking responsibility for her; who knows what headquarters will say."

Solona sighed, flopping down in the nearest chair. With narrowed eyes, she watched the blonde typing furiously on the keyboard. "I'm just glad we finally solved that mystery of the incident in Greenfield; who'd have thought a five year old kid was behind it."

"Kids," Jackie shrugged, half listening. "I'm never going to understand them, too much sugar or something."

Solona huffed, glancing at the red head. "I wonder _why_ she was out there . . . that storm last night . . ."

"Who knows," Jackie shrugged, leaning back in his chair. "We'll be in Almia in ten minutes."

"Uh huh," Solona nodded, preoccupied. "That's good Jack."

###

As the sun rose higher into the sky, the black haired teen blinked, frowning as the rays peeked through the foliage overhead. Shaking his head, he reached his hand up, grabbing nothing but air. Frowning slightly, he sighed as he dropped his hands back to his side, yet again feeling that something was _missing_.

"What . . . why can't . . ."

He knew something was wrong.

Stretching his arms out before him as the worn trail cut through the dense forest, he found himself glancing to either side of him, subconsciously searching for something. His charcoal eyes took in his surroundings, as it trying to find a landmark or a person; the fact that he _didn't_ know where he was slowly aggravating him. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he glanced at the path underfoot, kicking up the dirt behind him.

Lost in his own thoughts, the teen didn't see what was ahead of him until he stumbled, his foot catching on something. Letting out a yell as he stumbled, he stretched his arms out, catching himself as he collided with the ground. Hitting the ground with a groan, he glanced over his shoulder as he pushed himself up.

The rustling of a nearby bush caught his attention.

"Hmm?" he mumbled to himself, stepping towards the bushes.

His curiosity getting the better of him, he stopped at the edge of the path, pushing the shrubbery away. He blinked, an eyebrow rising as he looked into the open clearing; there was _nothing_ there. He shook his head, mumbling to himself as he let the shrubbery fall back into place. He didn't even pay attention to the odd grass standing in the middle any glance.

His thoughts jumbled, he didn't even hear someone call out; "Oddish? Where did you go – it's alright to come out!"

Twenty minutes later after wandering through the winding path, the black haired teen let out a sigh as he saw the forest breaking up ahead. A smile appeared on his features as his walk quickly turned into a run. The trees rushed by him as they gave way to a light breeze rustling through the grass, a town situated directly ahead.

"Finally," he mumbled, the high gates of the town welcoming him to Celadon City.

Curling his fingers into a fist, he pumped it into the air, before rushing towards the city and all its hustle and bustle. Humming to himself, he past by the gates, glancing eagerly at everything around him. The buildings rose high above him, people darting this way and that as cars flew by at impressive speeds. Shoving his hands back into his pockets, a frown on his features as his pace slowed, stopping in the shadow of a department store.

"What am I supposed to do _now_?"

He hadn't thought of anything past finding the nearest town. Glancing at the large structure across the street as a bell sounded, the door flinging open minutes later, people rushing out. He found himself backing up, grumbling to himself as his elbow connected with a brick wall.

"Come on Duplica; we've got so many study pages from Professor Cedar to finish . . ."

"Then you should go back to the dorms," the blue haired girl laughed, turning on her heel. "The talent show's _only_ a week away, Ana! You _know_ that Erika's got the best stuff in town."

Anabel sighed, brushing off her companion. "I still can't believe Professor Pine hasn't figured out your keeping a Ditto in your room. How many room checks has she done now?"

Duplica grinned, rolling her eyes. "Well, it's not like I have a sister to leave my Pokémon with," she laughed, shaking her head as she opened the shops' door, a bell tingling inside somewhere. "You _know_ my mom would forget to take care of it."

The rest of their conversation was drowned out, the shop's door closing behind them. Sighing, he shook his head, picking up his pace again, not knowing that violet eyes were watching him from inside.

"Duplica . . . Anabel . . ." he mumbled to himself, frowning. "Then . . . _what's_ . . . my name?"

###

"You say she was found on a raft out at sea?" A clipped voice said.

"Yes, that's right," Solona said, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over her chest. "She had a couple Poke balls on her, and after getting her safely on board, I wanted to check out what she had, however she only had a Goldeen and was unable to locate any ID."

"When she wakes up, please bring her to see me," the woman said, turning on her heel, her shoes clicking against the tiles underfoot. "I have a feeling she could be useful."

"Yes Ma'am."

As the automatic door closed again, Solona sighed, running a hand over her features, inwardly cursing Jackie. It was _just_ like him to disappear when they got back to Almia.

_Probably trying to smooth talk the girls again,_ she thought idly, used the blonde's antics.

"Huh . . ."

Blinking, Solona glanced at the beds' occupant who was moving slightly under the white sheets. Pushing herself away from the wall, Solona moved over to the bed, raising an eyebrow. "Hey . . . are you awake?" she asked, leaning over the bed. "Can you hear me?"

The bed's occupants eyebrows came together, their cerulean eyes slowly opening, their eyes coming into focus as they looked up. Solona smiled, flopping down into the chair beside the bed.

"Can you tell me who you are?" Solona asked, leaning back in the chair, propping her chin in her palm. "How did you end up halfway to Sinnoh?"

The red head blinked, letting out a cough, drawing her hand out from underneath the covers. She paused momentarily, taking in the tubes attached to her hand, a beeping sound overhead. Pushing her hair back, she glanced at the woman sitting beside her.

"Where am I?"

"You're in Almia," Solona supplied. "It's the headquarters of us Pokémon Rangers. We picked you out of the ocean – you were halfway to Sinnoh. I checked your Poke balls, sorry. You didn't have any ID on you though."

"Halfway to Sinnoh," she mumbled, shaking her head. "What was my –"

"It was a Goldeen," Solona interrupted. "It looked really well trained – I was surprised you didn't have any more . . ."

"Yeah," she agreed with a frown. It felt like the list should have been longer. She tried to remember, but found it hidden behind a veil. "Maybe they're . . ." _At Home_?Where was that?

"Can I ask what your name is, hon?" Solona asked. "I'd hate to have to keep calling you _girl_ or _hey you_."

"Yeah it's . . ." she paused. "It's Willow."

"Willow, it's got a nice ring to it," Solona nodded, pushing herself up from the chair. "Well, I want you to get some rest. We'll talk later, okay?"

Willow blinked, catching Solona's eye. "I see . . ."

Solona let out a laugh, winking at the red head as she turned on her heel. "The sooner you're rested, the sooner you'll get out of here. See you later, Willow."

###

Hours later as the sun started to set and the streetlights came on one by one, a lone figure sat on a park bench. Running a hand through his dark locks, a frown marred his features. Staring at the dirt underfoot, he let out a sigh as he leaned back, closing his eyes.

_I can't believe it_, he thought idly. _I've been here a day and all I got was . . ._

"How pathetic," he grumbled to himself, running a hand over his features. "Maybe I should just keep going."

But _where_ else could he go?

"I know I saw him come this way . . ." a female's voice said, breaking through his muddled thoughts. "You noticed it to, right Gloom?"

"Gl – Gloom, Gloom!" It responded, walking ahead of its' trainer.

The blue haired trainer paused on the path, glancing through the dimly lit park. Humming lightly to herself, she clasped her hands behind her, continuing down the path. Her footsteps touched the ground lightly, a grin coming to her features as she caught sight of a figure on the bench ahead.

"Hello!" she shouted, picking up her pace. She saw the figure look up, confusion written across his face. "I saw you in town today . . . are you okay?"

Raising an eyebrow, he regarded the teen before him, a Gloom at her feet. "Who are you?"

_Why do you care_, he wanted to ask.

"Oh," she let out a laugh. "I'm Erika; I saw you from my shop this afternoon."

"Oh . . . well, sorry for standing there –"

"Its fine, it's fine," Erika said, waving the comment aside. "But, I noticed you looked like you were lost . . . where are you going?"

"No idea," he said a length with a shrug. "Wherever."

"Well, we can't have that," Erika said with a nod, smiling at Gloom. "The nights here are still pretty cold, so, while you're trying to figure things out, you should come and rest at my place. You _can't_ be more then twelve . . ."

"Ten," he corrected her, unsure where that came from.

"So, come on then," Erika said, turning on her heel. "We've got a bit of a walk," she frowned, glancing over her shoulder. "Say, what's your name, kiddo?"

". . . Cole . . ."

_I think so,_ he thought anyway, picking himself up off the bench.

"Well then Cole, let's get moving," she said, starting back down the path. "You've got a lot to tell me . . ."

Shoving his hands into his pockets, Cole followed after her, watching the blue haired woman warily. Her attitude, the way she spoke . . . it _reminded_ him of someone . . .

###

Dropping his large bag onto the ground, the teen sighed, leaning back against the tree trunk. Frowning, he crossed his arms across his chest, slipping down to sit on the ground. Glancing up at the dark cloudy sky above him, he closed his eyes, his mind whirling.

When he had woken up earlier that morning, he could tell something was different. Unsure what it was, he had glanced around him, noticing a path cutting through the field; to what looked like a small harbour city ahead. Pushing himself up off the ground, he brushed the dirt off his stained clothes, his hands coming in contact with Pokeballs attached to his belt. Curiously, he detached them, numbly throwing them before him.

"Geodude . . . Onix . . ."

Glancing at the two rock types before him, he blinked, a piece seemingly falling into place. Nodding at the two, he returned the two to their Pokeballs, glancing around his surroundings. With a frown marring his features, he had continued down the winding path, his mind whirling.

In no time he made his way to the costal city, taking in the sights before him. He stumbled across a Pokémon Center, dropping Geodude and Onix off with Nurse Joy. The pink haired nurse had told him to come back in a couple hours, nodding and simply walking away. Something told him to do that, it was natural.

That was what led him to the small park overlooking the popular beach. Eyes closed, he took in the birds chirping overhead and the sounds of the beach below. Biting down on his lip, he tried to run over what he had figured out so far.

He knew something had happened . . . something he _couldn't_ quite put a finger on.

There was _something_ missing . . .

"What is it?" he mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "Something's . . ." he shook his head.

Pausing as he glanced at the sky overhead, he couldn't help but shake the feeling that someone should be there – he could _almost_ see it. He could vaguely picture black hair with a red hat and orange hair pulled into a high ponytail.

"But, who . . . are you?"

Their names were gone, their faces blurred.

He shook his head, the names felt like they were on the tip of his tongue.

Maybe it would come to him . . . much like his _own_ name had.

"_You must really like Rock types," Nurse Joy had commented, running the Pokeballs through her scanner, her fingers flying across the keyboard. "Now, I just need a name," she smiled, looking up at him. _

_He paused momentarily. "It's Brock," he said, after a moment. _

He still didn't know where the name had come from.

"Brock," he mumbled, running a hand over his face. "Brock from . . . from . . ."

It was blank.


	2. 002: Identites

Loud music blared through headphones, effectively drowning everything out. Sandals dragged through the sand, hands shoved into jean pockets. Cool teal eyes, hidden behind sunglasses, glanced at the festivities under way in the main square. She rolled her eyes as she remembered seeing Elder Terrance donning his annual festival outfit, others carrying theirs slung over their shoulders.

"Man, this would've been a _great_ time to set sail with Coron," she grumbled, shaking her head.

How she hated these yearly festivals and the fact that she _had_ to the Festival Maiden . . . the thought made her curl her nose. "I _can't _believe I have to do this, figures Karol would – oof!"

Eyes widening in surprise, the brunette flailed slightly, and not catching her balance, she found herself spread out in the sand. Grumbling to herself, she picked herself up off the ground, brushing the dirt off her clothes as she glared over her shoulder.

"Hey, watch it!" she grumbled, throwing his earphones off. "What the hell . . .?"

She raised her eyebrows as she glanced at the scenario before her. Lying on the beach, their red hair splayed out around them, eyes closed. Rolling her eyes (she wondered idly how much this person had drunk the night previous) she kneeled down in the wet sand, a confused expression on her face as she reached a hand out.

"Hey," she sighed as she caught sight of a Pokeball on her belt loop. "Great, the first trainers' arrived – I'm _not_ kissing you though – now, what kind of Pokémon do you have?"

Humming to herself, her music playing lowly from her now sandy earphones, the brunette reached out, grabbing the red and white ball. Moving to sit down in the sand, she rolled the ball over in her hands, and shrugging, threw the ball before her. "Come on out!"

As the top popped open, a white light shot out, a silhouette appearing slowly. Drumming her fingers against her arm as she waited, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes in the process.

"There's . . ." she blinked, stunned. "It's _empty_ . . . what kind of trainer is this?"

Sighing, she threw her hands up over her head. This was going to be a pointless festival. Tossing her hair back, she slipped her earphones around her neck, stretching out her arms. "This is going to be some _lame_ festival . . ."

"Melody!" 

Letting out a groan as she heard her sisters' voice, she glanced over her shoulders, pushing her sunglasses back up. Shrugging, she shoved her hands back into her pockets. "You know it's true," she mumbled to herself, slowly making her way towards her sister.

"This trainer doesn't even _have_ a Pokémon!" she shouted, nodding to herself.

_At least the last trainer had a Nidorina_, she thought idly.

It was just her luck that her first year as the Festival Maiden she'd get stuck with a dud trainer.

###

Erika smiled as she bustled around the small apartment kitchen, humming lightly to herself. Pulling open the cupboard, she brought down two mugs, filling them up, before turning on her heel. Dropping the two mugs onto the table, she pushed one over towards the black haired teen before sitting across the table from him.

"So, Cole," she said, fingering her cup. "What were you doing out there at this time of night? Won't your parents be worried?"

Cole frowned slightly, taking a sip of the hot drink. "My parents . . ." He could vaguely see a smile, someone standing in the doorway. "No . . . no . . . they won't be worried. I . . ."

"Did you have a fight with them?" Erika asked quietly, looking at him over her cup. "You'll have to make amends with them in the morning."

"No . . . I . . ." How could he explain it?

"Did you run away then?" Erika ventured. "You'll miss them when they're gone; I'm giving you one night, okay?"

Biting his tongue, he didn't want to tell her too much, so he smiled instead. "They sent me here," he said, fumbling over the words. "They wanted to me attend . . ."

"The Academy?" Erika supplied. "That's right across the street from my perfume shop. It's kind of early for you to arrive though – school's ending for the summer in a couple weeks time, see? Unless, you're moving into residence for the summer . . ." Erika shook her head, she was rambling again. "I might be able to help get you in though; a lot of the staff at the Academy are my clients. I used to go there myself when I was your age – so, we'll go in the morning and try to sort it all out, Cole . . ."

Cole frowned. "Thompson," It was the first thing that came to mind as he glanced around the homey kitchen. "Cole Thompson."

"Well, Mr. Thompson," Erika laughed lightly. "Tomorrow, you're getting into the Academy, we'll figure something out. Your parents picked a good school, if you want my opinion."

Cole nodded slowly, dropping his eyes from the smiling blue haired girl to the half eaten sandwich before him. This kindness seemed _strange_ to him for some reason . . .

###

"Willow, how are you feeling today?"

"I'm fine, really," the red head responded with a laugh, their footsteps echoing slightly through the empty hallway. "You can stop asking me that, Solona."

Solona shrugged, her hands in her pockets, Minum following behind the two. "I know, but yesterday you were lying unconscious. I'm not a doctor, but –"

"Then don't worry about," Willow interjected with a shrug, throwing her a look. "If I stayed in that bed any longer I'd go crazy: sleep to long and you'll be a Snorlax!"

Solona let out a laugh, hiding it behind her hand. "Where'd you get that expression from?"

Willow frowned, a blonde haired woman coming to mind. "Someone . . . an old friend . . ."

"I see," Solona said, seeing a range of emotions flickering across the red head's face. "We'll have to talk later, alright? Misha's – she's the CEO of the Pokémon Rangers – office is the last door at the end of the hallway, see? I'll meet you in the quad afterwards; I have a debriefing to attend. Good Luck though!"

Grinning, Solona gave her a small shove, sending Willow skittering ahead a few steps. As she cast a heated glance over her shoulder, Solona just waved, opening the door before her. Willow let out a sigh as the door closed with a thud behind Solona, leaving her standing in the corridor by herself.

"Well . . . here goes nothing . . ." she mumbled, glancing down the corridor.

Sighing, Willow started down the corridor; her footsteps slow as they echoed within the empty hall. With only her footsteps echoing within her head, she wrung her hands together, trying to get her thoughts straight.

What was she supposed to say? She didn't have _any_ answers.

Lost in her own thoughts, Willow found herself standing in front of the heavy oak door before she knew it. Taking a deep breath – she could do this – she reached a hand out, raising it to the door. The knock sounded low against the heavy door as she dropped her hand back to her side. Rocking back on her heels, Willow narrowed her eyes at the door.

What if there was _no one_ in there?

"The doors open, come on in," A voice sounded, slightly muffled.

Nodding to herself, Willow grabbed the doorknob, easily slipping through the heavy doors. The door closed soundly behind her as she let the handle go, making her pause on the plush carpet. A desk was situated at the other end of the room before the wide windows, the brunette behind the desk glanced up. The woman's youthful face broke out into a smile at the sight of the small red head. The woman placed the PokeGear she held down beside her computer screen, motioning to the empty seat.

"Come and sit Willow. It's about time we spoke."

Shaking her head, Willow moved forward before slumping down in the chair offered to her. She smiled awkwardly at the woman as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Thanks for letting me rest here," she said, wracking her brain for something to say. "I know that I'm taking up space, so I'll –"

"Not so fast," Misha cut her off, waving the comment aside before folding her arms before her. "I've already spoken to both Solona and Jackie while you were unconscious. They say that you were found on a raft halfway to Sinnoh. What, may I ask, where you doing in a place like that?"

Willow opened her mouth to reply, and then paused, closing it again. Frowning, she sunk down in her chair, closing her eyes as she tried to remember. It had to be . . .

She was found out at sea . . . she had a _well_ trained Goldeen . . . but, there should have been more. One just didn't sound like enough.

Then, there were those two people that had appeared in her dream. She could vaguely picture them, the names on the tip of her tongue. There was also that blonde woman that had appeared moments' previous . . . **why** did she feel like she knew them?

"I'm not . . ."

She was cut off as the computers' speakers went off, drawing Misha's attention. Shaking her head, the CEO sighed, holding up a finger for Willow to hold on a second. "We've been getting a lot of inquiries," she supplied, her eyes flying across the screen. "Our main goal is to help the relationships between us humans and the Pokémon, and naturally, coming to the aid of a Pokémon in distress," she explained, glancing momentarily at Willow. "Something seems to be happening in Altimar. I think that Solona's free at the moment."

"So, she'll be leaving?" Willow blurted out before she could stop herself.

Misha's eyes narrowed slightly as she glanced back at Willow, making the red head fidget slightly. "Would you want to be a Pokémon Ranger as well?" Misha said, jumping right to the point.

"Well, I hadn't even thought –"

"Well, we'll have to see if you have what it takes firstly. Jackie currently doesn't have any missions lined up, so I could spare him for a couple days to look into the abilities of you and your Goldeen. We have to see how you function under stress and time limits; Jackie is a good judge of character."

Willow nodded, slightly confused. "A Pokémon Ranger . . ."

"Yes, like I told you before, our main ideal is to help Pokémon in need. We work very closely with Officer Jenny and her forces," – that name seemed to register to Willow – "Lately though; we've had a string of incidents popping up, and we have yet to find any linking factors. It is indeed strange," Misha shook her head. "I have our analytical team working on any possible meaning to these events, but I digress. It isn't something you need to worry about Willow. Currently, a majority of my staff is either on the field or are currently being debriefed. I will have Jackie come and speak to you later."

"Jackie . . ." she mumbled to herself. "Sure . . . that sounds fine."

Wasn't he the blonde man that seemed to have the standoffish attitude? Inwardly, she sighed – it was just her luck she'd _have_ to get stuck with him. Willow glanced back at the brunette, Misha's eyes trained on the computer screen before her, fingers flying across the keyboard.

"That's great, Willow," Misha said, glancing momentarily at the red head. "All of my employees carry one of these on them at all times," she rooted through the top drawer, producing a strange device moments later. "If you want to rise within our ranks, you'll have to work hard."

Willow nodded, sensing a dismissal in her words. "Well, thank you, Miss. Valina, if you'll excuse me."

Misha nodded, stealing a glance back at her computer. "Yes, we'll be seeing you around then."

Picking herself out of the chair, Willow crossed the room, silently slipping out the door. Once outside, Willow couldn't help but let out a grin, resisting the urge to jump up in enthusiasm. Instead, she shook her head; grin in place as she looked at the communication device Misha had given her. Humming lightly to herself, she slipped the device onto her wrist like she'd seen both Solona and Jackie wearing it earlier.

With the device on her wrist, she couldn't help but feel like she belonged in this headquarters, helping Pokémon. With that in mind, she headed in the direction of the quad, eager to tell Solona what had just transpired.

###

The streets were busy, neon lights illuminating the streets. People stood outside of shops, glancing through the windows, bags in hand. The colourful window displays stopped the customers in their tracks, luring them inside.

It was well known that Hop Hop Town, located just on the outskirts of Saffron City, was the perfect description of a tourist trap. With its high rise buildings towering over you, the neon lights and colourful window – it was almost impossible to not open your wallet countless times.

The main attraction in the small town was the famous Suzy Lamont and her Vulpix – which graced most magazines covers nowadays. Her name was well known throughout the streets, no one had been able to compete against her. She was _the_ go-to girl.

However, the past couple of days had seen a new face appearing in the town. He had appeared one night, taking up residence on the corner under the lamppost, scissors in hand. No one knew where he had appeared from – he had been very aloof about it when asked – but it was his talent that brought people flocking to the youth under the streetlight.

It was said that he might be able to last.

It would be the first time that Hop Hop Town had two Pokémon Stylist's.

"My Jynx next!" A teen yelled, shoving the Poke ball before her. "I want it to shine!"

"No, my Chansey!" Another voice countered. "I came all the way from Cinnabar!"

"Hold on, hold on," the blue haired youth said, holding his hands out before him. "Everyone will get a chance. Alas, this Jynx has been here for a couple hours, your Chansey will be next. Now, let the magic begin!"

Grinning wildly at the crowd before him, he turned to his messenger bag sitting on a stool with a flourish, picking up an elaborate blue comb, a design littering the handle. "Just bring your Jynx right over here," he said, indicating underneath the street light. "With any Pokémon, you want to bring out their inner beauty, but it varies per type and personality. The key is . . ."

As they spoke, running the brush through Jynx's blonde hair, he didn't notice blue eyes watching him silently from within the crowd. Her eyes were calculating as she watched his movements, crossing her arms across her chest. After a few minutes of watching, she nodded, turning on her heel.

"It seems they were right about him," she mumbled, glancing back over her shoulder, her bangs falling into her eyes. "I'll have to come back later." She added, pulling her hat down again, it felt like the wind was going to knock it off again.

With a crowd like this surrounding it, it would cause too much confusion if she made her presence known. Shaking her head, she fingered the empty Poke ball in her pocket as she glanced at the small creature following along behind her.

Her shop had been open for the past five years and _never_ had her store been that empty.

Suzy Lamont was not used to competition.

###

Brock wandered through the seaside town – learning that it was actually called Hutber Port – retracing his steps to the Pokémon Center. He wondered idly what had brought him to the small resort town as he tried to figure out _where_ he was heading next. Glancing around the bustling town, he took little notice of the bikini clad girls that littered the streets and beaches, lost in his own thoughts.

Not paying any attention, Brock jumped when the automatic doors to the Center opened, allowing him entrance. "Yikes!" he found himself mumbling, jumping back out of habit.

Nurse Joy looked up at the exclamation as the doors chimed, a smile appearing on her face as she noticed the tanned youth. "Oh hello Brock, you're just in time. I just finished scanning and treating your Pokémon not too long ago. Besides the fact that they were extremely weak, there was nothing overly wrong with them. My only question for you, is seems that they had been submerged in water, so I must ask what you were doing? You were being very irresponsible."

Brock blinked, leaning against the desk, Joy on the other side, hands on her hips. "Submerged in water . . ." He had a brief flash of water pouring in around him, soaking his shoes, his socks. "I'm not sure . . ." he said at length.

"Well, I suggest you make sure it doesn't happen again," Nurse Joy said, leveling him with a stare as she brought forth the tray containing his Poke balls.

Brock nodded, picking the two balls off the tray, rolling them over in his hands, his mind whirling.

"Where are you planning on heading next?" Nurse Joy asked, cutting into his thoughts as she picked up the unused tray. "With only those two Pokémon . . . how many badges do you have?"

Brock watched her disinfect the tray before placing it in the large stack with the others. Mulling over her words, he shook his head slowly. For some reason, he didn't seem _interested_ in collecting the sought after badges. But, there _**was **_something.

"I'm not after badges," he said at length, Joy's pink eyes staring at him. "I'm just travelling for the time being."

"I see. Well, it's getting late to be travelling," she commented, glancing around him at the setting sun against the beach. "I do still have a couple rooms available, you might as well make use of it," she said distractedly as she glanced underneath the counter, a jingle of key's reaching Brock's ears. "It's the fourth on the right," she said after a moment, producing a key.

Brock nodded, mumbling his thanks as he took the offered key. Joy watched as Brock moved away from the counter disappearing around the corner moments later. Letting out a sigh, she dropped into her chair, turning her attention to the computer screen.

Turning the key over in his hand, Brock headed down the brightly lit hallway, thoughts whirling around in his head.

His Pokémon had suffered from being in the water.

Collecting badges just didn't seem right on his tongue.

Idly counting the doors on the right, he slowed to a stop as he reached the fourth door, slipping the key into the lock. As the lock clicked open, the door swinging open, Brock flicked on the lights with a sigh, glancing around at his surroundings. Crossing the room, Brock flopped down on the bed, running a hand over his face.

He could tell something was missing – something important.

If _only_ he could put his finger on it . . .

###

"If you want my opinion – we _wait _for the next trainer," Melody said, drumming her fingers against the counter in boredom. "Because technically, she **doesn't** have a Pokémon . . . last time I checked, an empty Poke ball didn't count."

"Melody," Karol warned, shooting her a look. "She was the first trainer on the Island – it's our tradition!" 

"Whatever," she grumbled under her breath. "You're just saying that because you _always_ had the guy trainers! That Paul and his Weavile from last year were pretty awesome. You just want all the good trainers! She doesn't _have_ a Pokémon – that's just stupid. The tradition is to honor _Pokémon_ trainers, not wannabe's."

"Melody . . ." her sister sighed, narrowing her eyes.

"It's our tradition," Elder Terrance interrupted, glancing between the two sisters. "There's nothing we can do about it, we are bound."

"She still doesn't have a Pokémon," Melody grumbled, making her point known as she pushed away from the counter. "This is going to be so lame."

Karol sighed, shaking her head as Melody slipped her headphones on as she crossed the room. "You know Melody's attitude," she shook her head, the brunette disappearing around the corner. "Just ignore her, she'll get over it. But, on that note, the girl doesn't have a Pokémon . . ."

"Washing up on the shore like that, it makes you wonder." Elder Samantha said, pouring herself another cup of coffee. "But, the festival isn't for another couple of days. In the meantime, I have Alina and Alec watching the coastline and the area where she was found to locate any lost Pokémon."

"I see," Karol said, bringing her coffee to her lips as she glanced at the empty doorway. "At least you seem to have a plan . . ."

Melody sighed, shoving her hands into her pockets, a scowl on her features. The music blared through her speakers, drowning out everything around her. She narrowed her eyes at the dark brown door before her, rolling her eyes at the small handmade _'occupied'_ sign on the door handle. Pushing her hair back as she wrinkled her nose up, she reached out, turning the handle.

The light from the hallway crept into the room, lighting up the room slightly, illuminating the still figure in the bed. "I can't believe you had to be the . . . oh! This is so lame!" she huffed, leaning against the door jam, arms crossed over her chest. "This is . . ."

Grumbling to herself, Melody pushed herself away from the door, slipping her headphones down around her neck. She shrugged as she moved forward in the room, making no motion to turn her music down.

It was about time she woke up anyway.

Melody wanted answers – she definitely wasn't in the mood to wait around.

Stopping at the foot of the bed, Melody let out a sigh, frowning. The girl was _still_ out cold . . .

"These stupid traditions," she grumbled, turning on her heel. "I'm not going through this next year . . ."

Lost in her own thoughts, her music blaring, Melody didn't hear the bed springs rustle as the red haired woman slowly started coming to. Shaking her head, Melody slipped her headphones back on – she wasn't in the mood to listen to Karol's ramblings – as she pulled the door none to softly behind her.

In the darkened room, teal coloured eyes slowly opened, trying to focus in the darkness all around her. Feeling disconnected, the red head blinked a couple times, shapes appearing in the darkness. As her eyes adjusted, she moved to sit up in the squeaky, hardly used bed, questions running through their mind.

"Where . . ." she mumbled, a hand flying to her throat, her voice harsh.

Shaking her head, she slumped back down in bed, frowning. Bringing up her legs, she let out a sigh, resting her chin on her knees. There was something about this – maybe it was the comfy bed? – that seemed wrong, it _wasn't_ right. If only she knew what it was . . .

Suppressing a yawn, she blinked, her eyes wanting to close.

Slowly, she moved down in the bed, bringing the comforter up to her chin, her mind wandering. She knew something . . . someone . . . was missing, if _only_ she could put her finger on it. Yawning once again, her eyelids closing slightly, she found herself drifting off once again.

". . . James . . ." she mumbled, unaware of her words.

###

Willow sighed, picking aimlessly at her tray of food, glancing around the large courtyard at the others' milling around. Solona was supposed to meet her five minutes ago . . . she felt awkward sitting at the picnic table by herself. Catching sight of her new communicator glinting in the bright sun, she grinned. Dropping her fork with a clatter, she ran a finger across the glossy red surface, a wider grin appearing on her features.

Lost in her own thoughts, she jumped when a tray fell down opposite hers. Tearing her eyes away from her communicator, she glanced up at the person, squinting her eyes in the sun.

"Well, well, look at what we've got here," Solona said with a grin, nodding at the device on Willow's wrist. "It seems your meeting went well."

_Misha rarely like anyone_, she thought idly, sitting down on the bench.

Willow nodded; a huge smile on her features. "Yeah, it was . . ." She shook her head, her thoughts running around in her head. "Miss. Varsa said that I might have the potential to be a Pokémon Ranger if I trained –"

"I'll do it in my spare time," Solona interrupting, not missing a beat. She noticed Willow's stare as she took a bite of her salad. "I mean, I'm heading out to Altimar tomorrow; an elite sector of Team Rocket is up to –"

"Ah, so this is where the ladies are hanging out," a man's voice interrupted the two, another tray dropping down on the picnic table. "I'll have to remember to come out here more often . . ."

"Hello Jackie," Solona said in a dull tone, propping her chin in her palm. The blonde didn't seem to notice as he sat down beside her, his trademark smirk on his face. "What can we do for you today?"

Willow let out a laugh at Solona's words, hiding the grin behind her hand as Jackie winked at the two of them. "Well, it turns out I just got myself a little trainee here," he said with a shrug, glancing over at Willow. "I just _had_ to see who the girl is."

"What?" Solona asked, narrowing her eyes at the blonde. "I'm . . ."

"Er . . . yeah . . ." Willow said awkwardly, grinning sheepishly. "Miss. Varsa thought that Jackie would be a good mentor as you're –"

"So not fair," Solona grumbled with a sigh, closing her eyes momentarily. "Figures, Misha decides to send me _all_ the way to Johto the same time she decides to make you a Ranger as well."

"Yeah, what a shame," Jackie said with a laugh, picking himself up from the picnic bench. "While you get to head off to the field and have _all_ kinds of fun, I get to train the new girl."

Solona rolled her eyes, turning her attention back to her salad. "I plan too, Jack. While you get to stay here with Willow, I get to go and work for my money," she commented idly. 

Jackie threw the blue haired woman a look, picking up his tray. "Well, you have fun with that then, Solona," _We all know you _never_ go on a vacation to spend it all with_, he thought idly, before glancing at Willow. "And Willow, I'll see you bright and early in the training room. I hate delays –"

"He means it too," Solona cut in, bringing a forkful of salad to her lips.

"Either way," Jackie said with a laugh, turning on his heel. "I'll see you at eight am in Training Hall B. For every minute you're late . . . well, goodbye."

Solona rolled her eyes at his words as he waved over his shoulder, heading back across the quad. Shaking her head, she glanced back over at Willow, a mixture of emotions moving across the red head's face.

"Jack's a real card, you'll get used to him," Solona laughed, pointing her fork at Willow. "Have fun, alright? You'll have to show me what you learned when I get back, right?"

"Yeah, sure," Willow said, glancing back at Solona, holding her gaze. "He seems kind of . . . different, you know."

Solona nodded, leaning back on the bench. "Right . . . well, you've got that one pegged right. You've definitely got a good head on your shoulders then. Are you done yet?" she asked after a pause. "Let's enjoy the day; we've got nothing else to do."

###


	3. 003: Five Degrees of Seperation

"Hey, it's time to wake up."

Cole groaned as the voice interrupted his vague thoughts, subconsciously drawing the covers over his head. He thought he heard someone sigh at a distance – or was that just his imagination? All he wanted was some sleep; it had been a while since he'd had a comfy bed . . . right?

"Come on now, up, up."

The voice sounded closer.

In response, Cole let out an audible sigh as he buried his head into his pillow, leaving only his jet black hair visible. Maybe if he ignored them, they'd just go away and let him sleep.

"You leave me no choice then . . ." the voice responded again, their footsteps heavy against the floorboards.

_Good_, he thought vaguely, drifting off again.

He had _**no**_ plans on getting up early.

Shaking their head at Cole's actions, they crossed the small room, smirking slightly as she pictured his response. Upon reaching the far wall, Erika reached out, grabbing a handful of the dull curtains. Glancing momentarily at Cole's sleeping figure, she chuckled slightly as she pulled the curtains back with a flourish. As the bright sun poured into the room, Cole groaned in protest as he gripped the comforter tighter.

The day _couldn't_ start off** that** bad . . .

"Honestly," Erika mumbled. "You're turning me into my mother!" And just like that, she reached forward, pulling the comforter back.

Cole let out a stifled yell as he made a move to grab it back. His nose curled up, a grumble escaping his lips as his eyes opened, the sun assaulting him. Blinking a couple times, his hand now blocking the sun, he noticed Erika leaning against the window frame, a smile on her lips.

"What'd you do _that_ for?" he grumbled, flopping back down in the bed, adding the pillow over his head.

Erika shrugged; her hands on her hips. "In all fairness, I did tell you to get up, but someone _didn't_ want to listen. So, I did what my mom always did," she let out a laugh, pushing herself away from the wall. "Now, get up and get dressed. Don't make me come back up here again . . ." She said with a laugh, crossing the room. "You've got five minutes," she added before closing the door behind her.

_I wonder what his mother was like_, she thought to herself as she started down the hallway.

Cole sighed, narrowing his eyes at the bright world outside the window. Frowning slightly, he reached over to close the curtains, engulfing the room in dim darkness again. "School . . ." he mumbled, running a hand underneath his eyes. "Just what I _always_ wanted . . ."

Shaking his head, the black haired youth grumbled to himself as he pushed himself out of the bed. Moving across the room, his eyes adjusting to the darkness, he turned on the small touch lamp on the dresser. Running a hand through his messy locks, dressed in Erika's brothers' old clothes, he frowned at the reflection in the mirror.

His hair stood up in every which direction – something told him it was more then just bed head though. As he took in his tanned skin, he wondered idly where he had been.

"Hey, looks like you made it out of bed alright," Erika said, opening the door as she knocked. "Your clothes are still hanging to dry outside, so, unfortunately, you'll just have to wear some more of my brother's old things in the meantime." she said, passing Cole the folded clothes in her arm. "The school opens up in an hour, so get changed and then come down from breakfast, alright? We've got a lot to do."

Cole nodded as he turned on his heel, closing his door behind him. As he dropped the clothes on the bed, he heard Erika's shoes clicking against the hardwood underfoot as she disappeared downstairs. Glancing back at the old clothes, he shrugged, reaching for the baggy, worn out jeans.

###

Melody pushed her bangs back, allowing the sound of the calm waves to quiet her thoughts. Humming lightly to herself as the warm wind rustled around her, she pulled the old ocarina from her messenger bag, fingering the correct holes. Closing her eyes, she brought it up to her lips, playing the familiar tune she'd heard since her childhood. She knew she didn't _need_ to practice – she could play this in her sleep – but with the festival starting later that night, she wanted to be prepared.

Lost in her own thoughts, she didn't hear the footsteps on the rocky path behind her, listening to her playing. Playing the last note, Melody let out a sigh, dropping the ocarina from her lips, returning it to her messenger bag. She paused however, catching sight of sandal's behind her.

"Hmm . . .?" she mumbled, glancing up. "Oh, hi Karol."

"Melody," her sister responded with a nod, moving to sit down on the ledge as well. "I have good news."

"Uh huh," Melody shrugged, returning her sapphire eyes to the glinting water. "I'm _so_ excited for tonight."

"Right," Karol laughed, rolling her eyes. "I know sarcasm when I hear it, Melody. Anyway, the trainer woke up about half an hour ago . . ."

"Hooray," she mumbled, her tone dead. "Elder Terrance must be beside himself with joy," she shook her head with a smirk before stopping mid sentence. "I still can't believe it . . . it's just my luck though, having to get a girl trainer! Why couldn't I get someone _cool_ like Paul or . . . no, maybe not Harley."

How was it that her sister got everything she didn't?

"Harley," her sister said with a sigh, shrugging. "Well, that was interesting to say the least.

Melody shrugged, leaning back on her palms. "I still can't believe you _actually_ gave that guy the Traditional Welcome Kiss. I tell you though, I _**refuse**_ in this case."

Karol let out a laugh, ignoring the scathing look Melody sent her. "Well, you'll be happy to hear that Elder Terrance and the council have agreed to overlook it in this case."

"Good!" Melody huffed, kicking her feet against the ledge. Slipping down into the sand, Melody stretched her limbs out. Brushing the sand off her jeans, she grinned at Karol, pushing her sunglasses up her nose again. "Well, I'll see you in a little bit then; I've got some things to do."

Karol nodded, watching the brunette start down the beach as she leaned back on her palms. "Just don't forget you're the main event!" she yelled after the retreating figure, who merely waved her off, shouting something incoherent back.

Frowning, she shook her head, closing her eyes momentarily. She couldn't say she was looking forward to wearing the traditional headset. In that case, Melody had it _lucky_.

But, naturally, Melody didn't see that.

Melody shrugged off her sister's comments as she slipped her headphones onto her head, turning the volume up. The main event . . . the playing of the ocarina and reciting the old legend – no doubt she could do that in her sleep too.

###

Jackie drummed his fingers on the windowsill before him, staring blankly at the wind beating against the window. He let out a sigh, shaking his head as he thought back to the eventful morning, one thing after another.

To start off, Willow had overslept, leaving the blonde haired Ranger to appear outside her door, rudely waking her up. With her hair sticking up in every direction, dressed in purple pajamas, she'd woken up in a hurry – appearing in the training hall half an hour later, ready to go.

After giving her a lecture of being on time, he began drilling her to test her skill in Pokémon knowledge. He did admit he was surprised at her knowledge, the red haired teen just shrugging when he asked her how she knew all this.

With that, he'd decided that after lunch they'd start looking at the skills she possessed on the field. He wanted to test her tactics and decision making abilities that Pokémon Rangers had to be well equipped with.

That's why he had told her to come back at one. He wanted to study her endurance and ability on the makeshift field in Hall E until five, when dinner was served.

Overhead, the clock chimed quarter after one.

Letting out a groan, he rolled his eyes, shooting the door a glare.

His eyes narrowed as the door slowly creaked open, Willow sheepishly stepping into the room, a forced grin on her features. Jackie's eyes narrowed again, making the red head pause.

"Er . . . hi Jackie . . ."

"Willow," he nodded in her direction. "What time is it?"

Her teal eyes flashed to the clock overhead. "It's one fifteen."

"What took you so long?" he asked matter-of-factly, moving away from the wall.

"Um . . . I took a wrong turn in the Treecko Wing and I might have ended up in Squirtle Corridor . . . this place is really confusing!" she huffed, hands on her hips.

Jackie let out a laugh, stopping before Willow, reaching out to rustle her hair. "Well, whatever, it really doesn't matter now, does it? We're heading over to the Scyther Wing for Endurance Training."

"Great . . ." Willow mumbled, smiling half heartedly. "I wasn't a fan of gym class."

Jackie laughed. "You washed up on the wrong Island then, kiddo. So, are you coming or not?"

"Yeah, let's get going!" she said with a nod. She had to show Solona what she knew. "So, what goes on in these Endurance things . . .?"

"Well," he said, ushering her through the door. "We've got to see how you work under pressure above all else. How well and quickly you can calm the Pokémon in distress and smooth the situation out. Naturally, for all of this, time is of the essence, but don't forget any task . . . or, well, you'll hear about it," he laughed, smirking in her direction.

Without a doubt, Willow knew he meant Misha Varsa.

"What's the record to beat?" she asked nonchalant, trying to change the subject.

"In the enclosed area, two and a half minutes," Willow shook her head, from the look on his face. Willow figured he'd set the record. "It took me two and a half months to get that timing down," he added with a shrug.

"Two months, you say?" Willow mumbled, following behind the blonde Ranger.

She watched Jackie's every move as they moved down the hallways – vaguely paying attention to where she was heading – her mind whirling. She fumbled idly with the communicator on her wrist, a plan forming in her mind. Not paying attention, she didn't notice Jackie come to a stop at the end of the corridor until she almost walked into him. Mumbling a sorry, she watched as he took out an ID card from his pockets, slipping it into the slot above the door handle.

"You better park your pride here," Jackie said with a laugh, pushing the door open. "_Everyone_ loses the first time."

"Humph," Willow grumbled, tossing her head high as she stalked past him. "We'll see."

She was going to wipe that smirk off his face.

###

Jessie couldn't believe her luck as she took in the food laden table before her. Her cerulean eyes watched the others sitting at the table as she warily reached forward, adding everything within reach onto her empty plate. With her plate full, she couldn't help but grin, her eyes widening slightly.

Something told her that this didn't happen often.

Tentatively, she reached for the fork beside her plate, glancing briefly at the two across from her. Taking in the sight of the elderly couple, she smiled at them as she brought the chicken to her lips.

What was she _supposed_ to say?

"We must say, we are glad that you have finally awoken," Elder Terrance said, breaking the silence. "You arrived on the Island just in time," he added, his wise eyes staring at the red head.

Jessie paused, looking at the elderly couple. "Where –?" she shook her head. "How did I get here?"

"My granddaughter found you, washed up on the shore yesterday morning." Samantha said, smiling kindly at her. "I will say though, you did give everybody quiet a startle at first. As for where you are, you're currently on Shamoutti Island, just on the outskirts of the Orange Islands."

"The Orange Islands?" she mumbled to herself, frowning slightly. "Well, I guess I should thank the both of you for the hospitality and the food. I should be –"

"Oh no my dear," Elder Terrance interrupted, waving the comment aside. "You arrived on our Island at just the right time, as our yearly festival is upon us. To tell you the truth, you actually awoke just in time for tonight's activities."

"Wait – a festival?" she grinned, her mind whirling. "I haven't been to one of those in _ages_!"

Terrance let out a laugh, hiding it behind his hand as he glanced at the woman beside him. "Hear that Samantha? The girl _likes_ festivals."

Jessie raised an eyebrow. "What are you . . .?"

"It's the festival of the Chosen One – it's to celebrate the relationships between the Pokémon and us humans. The first trainer that appears on our Island in the days prior is always our guest of honor. In this case our trainer is you."

"But . . ." Jessie trailed off, frowning. "I don't have any –"

"We found you with a Poke ball," Samantha cut in, guessing her thoughts. "Although there wasn't any Pokémon inside, you are still our first trainer to arrive this year."

"It was empty?" she mumbled to herself, glancing up at the ceiling. "But where . . . it was . . ." she shook her head. "This is . . . I'm so confused!"

Her fork dropped to the table in a clatter, the red head letting out a surprised cry before burying her head in her hands. Elder's Terrance and Samantha exchanged glances, resulting in Terrance shrugging. Samantha shot him a look as she pushed herself out of her chair before bustling over to where Jessie sat, tentatively putting her hand on the girls' shoulder.

"It's alright, sweetie, don't stress yourself out. We'll find your Pokémon friend. He can't have gone that far, maybe he'll appear at tonight's festivities," she said calmly, looking at the bright side. "Come now, we have to get you ready for the festival, we already have your outfit all laid out for you."

Jessie nodded, smiling up at the woman standing beside her. At Samantha's motions, Jessie picked herself up from the chair, and allowed the elderly woman to grab lead her away. Standing taller then the older woman, she couldn't help but grin as she was led down the brightly lit corridor.

The floorboards creaked under foot, and _all_ she could think was that something was wrong. That something – _someone_ – was missing.

###

Brock sighed, trying to clear his mind. The pier underfoot creaked and moved with the motions of the wave, the water splashing up between the wooden boards. He could hear the calls of the seaside market behind him, calling out to the people as they past by. The sun beat down on the tourist town, the ships' hulls towering overhead. That was one thing the picturesque town didn't lack, there seemed to always be ships coming and going, which had gotten him wondering.

His slate eyes glanced at the towering hulls overhead, wondering where they were headed. He couldn't explain it, but he found himself wishing he was on one of these ships heading out. All of the sudden, Brock had an interest in heading out and seeing the world. He couldn't live in the Pokémon Center forever . . .

The thought had crossed his mind the night previous as one of Nurse Joy's Chansey arrived at the rectangular table, dropping off a couple of trays. Brock listened idly as the trainers at the other end of the table discussed their battle strategies and their latest catches. He found himself tuning out the idle chatter, his nose curling up at the taste of the bland food.

Upon returning to his small room, his mind whirling, he pulled out the desks' chair, placing it in front of the window. Walking over to the night table, he grabbed the pad of paper, returning to the desk. Slumping down into it, he flipped open the pad, frowning as he glanced out at the harbour.

He didn't know _what_ had brought it on, but all he could think about was Rice Cakes – the recipe _fully_ formed in his head.

Two hours later, the pad was half full, one recipe following another.

"Excuse me?" A harsh voice said, thick with accent, cutting into Brock's thoughts. "What do you mean the customers are tired of my cooking? It is a delicacy!"

Brock blinked, hearing the echo of the voices against the hulls. He frowned slightly, crossing his arms across his chest as he paused on the pier. "We have been serving them the same thing up and down the coast for the past month. For the journey to Sinnoh, they want new food to be served. You're a chef Alvin, you should be able to –"

"I've cooked what I've known – your customers are too demanding. Their money has gone to their heads."

_Hmm,_ Brock thought to himself, his mind whirling, his pace slow.

A slight grin broke on his features as he noticed two figures standing up ahead, half hidden by a towering ships' hull. "Um . . ." he said lowly, stopping a couple feet away from the two. "I think I can help you . . ."

The two's conversation came to a stop, glancing over their shoulders at the tanned teen. The chef had a look of annoyance on his face at the irruption, his comment dying on his lips as the captain held up a hand for silence. In his crisp white uniform, the captain glanced at Brock, his face expressionless. The chef's eyes were narrowed at the sight of Brock with his brown shaggy hair hanging around his ears, his clothes baggy, and a couple Poke balls on his belt.

"Is there something we can 'elp you with?" The chef, Alvin said; his voice monotone, his accent think. "We're busy 'ere."

"Ah, yes," Brock said, jumping slightly at the harsh tone. "I just happened to overhear your conversation . . ."

"You 'ave no right, this is a –"

"Hold on," the ships' captain said, holding his hand up again. "What would you have to offer us?" he asked, holding Brock's gaze, making the teen fidget under his stare. "This is a Five Star luxury cruise ship that sails the world."

"I have quite a few recipes –"

Alvin scoffed, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Where 'ave you gone to school?"

"Er . . ." Brock floundered, his expression falling.

Smirking, Alvin turned his back on Brock, having no further use for him. On the other hand, however, the ships' captain frowned, his sharp eyes taking in Brock's appearance. "We are heading to Cianwood in the Johto Region before continuing on to the Sinnoh Region. If your skill is as good as you believe, we will give you until we reach Cianwood – a two weeks journey from here – to prove yourself to myself, Alvin here and of course, the customers' appetite . . ."

"Oh," Brock said, shaking his head at his mistake. "It's Brock."

He still hadn't figured out his last name, but the two before him didn't seem to care. 

"Well, we're setting out at eight am sharp – if you're not here, you're done." Brock nodded, fiddling with the notepad in his back pocket. "You have a lot to prove, young man. Now, if you'll excuse us."

Brock nodded again, taking his place. "I thank you both greatly for this opportunity. I'll be here bright and early then."

Turning on his heel, he waved over his shoulder as he headed back down the pier, a grin appearing on his features. As his feet hit the wooden pier, rocking with every step, he couldn't stop the ideas whirling around in his brain. He had no idea where these ideas were coming from as he made his way back to the Pokémon Center.

###

Erika pushed her hair back, the wind blowing her hair in all directions. Nodding to herself, she reached forward, knocking on the wooden door before her. Her emerald eyes glanced back at the dark haired teen behind her as her arm fell back to her side. Hearing a muffled response from the other side of the door, she beckoned Cole forward, rolling her eyes as he dragged his feet.

"Come on, at least look _alive_," she mumbled to him. Shaking her head, she reached forward for the doorknob, pushing the door open moments later.

"Hello Professor Goodshow, thanks for setting aside time to see me today." she said formally, pausing just inside the office, Cole in the doorframe.

"Of course my dear," the older man said, waving her inside. "If I do recall correctly, you were the top in your class Miss. Erika Evans."

Erika laughed, her lips turning up in a smile, a light blush gracing her cheeks. "You have a good memory, but I haven't come here today to revisit the past," she said, the carpet muting her footsteps as she crossed the room, sitting in the chair opposite the desk. Cole followed after her, slumping into the seat beside her. "I know it's a bit late – what with the applications being due _months_ ago – but this here is Cole Thompson. His parents sent him to me from Petalburg in the Hoenn Region to apply to the academy –"

"Now Erika," Professor Goodshow interrupted, suppressing a laugh. "You know that in my thirty years of working here, that I've never bent the rules for any students' parents or guardians."

"Oh, I know that," Erika sighed, rolling her eyes. "I _still_ remember that detention from my third year here. I _know_ you're a stickler for rules," – here, Goodshow let out a laugh – "But, that's beside the point," Erika said, waving the comment away. "If you just think it over, that's all I'm asking."

"Erika –"

"It's a Pokémon Academy," Erika said, a glint in her eyes as she leaned back in her chair. "How about a _test_ then, give Cole here a second year –"

"Skip two grades? Erika, you're pushing your luck here."

Cole sighed, slumping down further in his chair, a slight frown on his face. He glanced from Erika to Professor Goodshow as he closed his eyes momentarily. He wasn't going to admit it, but Erika sure seemed good at arguing her point. He could see Professor Goodshow giving in to the intense blue haired girl; she seemed to have a way with words.

"I'm in retail, I'm persuasive by nature," she chirped, winking at him. "There's a reason I have the most sought after perfume in _all_ of Celadon."

Cole held back a laugh, a smile appearing on his lips as Erika voiced his thoughts.

Goodshow sighed, leaning back in his chair as he ran a hand over his face. "I see you haven't changed much from your Academy days. I'll give him **one** chance Erika – one – _but_ he has to score at least an eighty five percent or higher to be considered."

Erika frowned, but nodded after a moment, glancing over at Cole, who'd been silent this whole time. "You hear that, Cole? You're going to have to make yourself really stand out, got that?"

Cole nodded mutely, looking from Erika to Goodshow and back again. "I'm confident in myself, no problem."

_I've seen my fair share of Pokémon anyway_, he thought idly, pausing a second later. _Where did that come from_?

He didn't even _have_ a Pokémon . . .

"You'll have to come back around two," Goodshow said with a frown. "The boards going to question me on this, you know."

"Yes," Erika said, moving to stand up, motioning Cole to do the same. "I owe you one for this – bring Miranda around the shop sometime, alright? I know her birthday's next month, so anything she wants is on me, alright? No charge, we'll be seeing you later then." With a wave over her shoulder, Erika pulled the door open, disappearing out into the hallway.

Cole blinked at the transaction going on before him, smiling tentatively at Professor Goodshow. "Thanks for all this," he said, before turning to follow after Erika. The blue haired woman was waiting outside in the hall, rooting through her purse. "Erika, I have to ask," curiosity eating away at him, "_What_ did you do in your third year?"

Erika paused, letting out an awkward laugh, making Cole raise an eyebrow. "That's a secret. A-hah," she exclaimed, finding her keys. "I have to open my shop up soon. You're going to have some time to kill, so why don't you have a look around the city?"

"Alright," Cole said, following after her. "I'll see you in a bit then."

"Don't you get lost!" Erika called after him, cringing at the thought that she sounded like her mother. "I've pulled all these strings for you."

Cole laughed, pushing open the Academy door. "I heard you – see you in a bit!"

Erika sighed, her keys jingling in her hand as she caught the Academy doors, her heels hitting against the cement.

She _never_ thought she'd become like her mother so soon . . .

###

James took a swig of his water as she stowed his scissors in the pouch tied around his waist. Sighing to himself, he sat himself down upon the rickety old stool he'd found down an alley the night previous. He glanced around the busy streets, watching the people go by.

He could feel the weight of the money in his cargo pants' pocket; he hadn't expected his talent to be this well received. Staring blankly ahead, he wondered idly about the apartment for rent sign he'd seen on Second Street. Stowing his water bottle back in his shoulder bag, he frowned, pondering what restaurant he should get lunch from.

Lost in thought, he didn't hear footsteps hitting the cement, their eyes trained on the single figure underneath the unlit streetlight. Pushing her long hair back, her faithful Vulpix at her heels, she smiled at the people she past by, knowing a majority of the townspeople's names by heart.

"I see you've gotten off to a good start here," she said, coming to a stop before him.

James blinked, jumping out of his thoughts as he looked up. He paused momentarily, his eyes widening as he took in the blue haired woman standing before him in a white button up outfit, Vulpix at her feet. "S-Suzy Lamont . . ."

He'd seen her face on the magazine covers at the stall down the street.

She nodded, briefly smiling. "So, I see you've heard of me," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I must say, my clients seem intrigued by you."

James blinked, surprise etched on his face. "I . . ." he shook his head. "I apologize."

Suzy giggled slightly, waving his words away. "One of my regular customers informed me of your arrival in town. I saw your work yesterday from the crowd," – here, James took a breath, Suzy's face unreadable – "Which leads me to my request. If you're as good as you say you are; this should be no problem. My Vulpix doesn't let anyone but myself groom her. But, I wonder how you would handle this situation."

James glanced down at the fiery type at Suzy's feet. He'd read about Suzy and her Vulpix in enough magazines to know the two like the back of his hand. The fact that he knew so much about the two before him and the bottle cap collection in the bottom of his bag, but _so_ little about himself . . . made him wonder.

"You want me too . . . but you never . . ."

Suzy grinned, nodding at the comment. "I hear that you're good for an amateur – but _can_ you handle a professional's Pokémon? If you can do it without getting to many burns, we'll talk business."

Intrigued, James pushed himself off the stool, glancing down at the fire type's shiny coat. "I assume that you don't want to do it here then, Miss. Lamont, so, when should I stop by the Salon?"

"I close to the public at six, Mr. . . ." she trailed off, looking him in the eye.

"Jim Kanilan," he supplied, holding out his hand to her. "I'll see you then."

"Indeed," Suzy said, shaking his hand. "Make sure you bring your best supplies. My Vulpix is very picky."

Jim nodded, letting go of her hand, allowing his hand to fall back to his side. He had all the confidence he needed; he _wasn't_ going to let this opportunity pass him by.

###

The automatic doors swung open to allow Brock entrance to the Pokémon Center, the foyer bustling with trainers milling around, the phones lining the wall occupied. Without batting an eye at him, Brock crossed the open pass, a grin appearing on his features as he reached Nurse Joy's desk, leaning casually on it. Catching sight of him, the pink haired nurse grinned as she looked up from her computer screen, turning the sheet she was working on over.

"Well, you look happier then you did yesterday," she trailed off, her bangs falling in her eyes as she glanced up. "What's gotten into you?"

Brock shook his head, waving the comment aside. "After tonight, I wont be needing my rental room here anymore," – not that he had any money to pay for it – "Your dinner last night reminded me of some old recipes . . . I have a majority of them written in here." He waved his small notepad before him. "I have a temporary position upon the cruise liner _Alavanti_ until they reach the Johto Region."

He could hunt for forgotten memories later.

Nurse Joy allowed a small smile to appear on her features. Leaning back in her chair, she folded her arms in front of her, taking in the teen before her. "I see, well, I wish you luck in your journey. Now, you'll get to see the whole world now."

Brock nodded; he hadn't thought of that yet. He'd been going over the conversation on the pier in his head, worrying slightly about what he would do if in Cianwood City, they decided they _didn't _need his recipes. "Well, I don't know how much sightseeing I'll get to do," he added after a moment, letting out an awkward laugh. "But, it's a good opportunity."

Nurse Joy nodded, the phone on her desk starting to ring. "If you're ever in the area again Brock, come back and say hi – best of luck on your journey." she said, reaching for the phone.

_Both of them_, she thought inwardly.

_It was _another _slow night, leaving the Pokémon Nurse sitting alone at her desk, having just hung up from her cousin in Cinnabar Island. Sighing, she pushed her pink hair back, drumming her fingers against the desktop as she glanced at the clock hanging behind her. _

_Seven fifty five pm._

_Usually Friday's were _never_ this slow. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that there had been no cruise ships docking in the town today or maybe it was that the tourists roaming the town just weren't Pokémon Trainers. _

_Needless to say, she wasn't used to her Pokémon Center being practically empty. Even her Chansey's had nothing to do as they paced back and forth in the foyer, glancing out the windows now and again. _

_Lost in her own thoughts, the pink haired woman jumped as the automatic doors whirled open, allowing a single person entrance. _

"_Welcome to –" she paused, midsentence. "Oh my, are you alright? Come, sit down."_

_The person standing in the doorway, looked no older then fifteen, drenched and looking like he had just survived a hurricane. Pushing herself away from her desk, her Chansey's already leading the youth towards the seats as her heels clicked rapidly against the tiled floor. _

"_You look like you've run into some trouble," she said slowly, worry etched across her face as she came to a stop before him. "Are you okay? Chansey – go get some blankets for him, please."_

"_Chans," the Pokémon replied, turning around, quickly moving across the foyer and out of sight. _

_The tanned teen nodded slowly at her question, slowly glancing up to look at the pink haired woman. "Yeah . . ." he said slowly, his voice hoarse. "It just feels like . . ." It sounded like his voice hadn't been used in a while. "Something's missing."_

_Nurse Joy frowned, crossing her arms in front of her as she sat down on the edge of the chair behind her. "Well, you have your Pokémon and your backpack," she said, looking him over as Chansey arrived, blankets in hand. "Thank you Chansey. Now, you should really dry up, I have some empty rooms available. I'll look after your Pokémon for you in the meantime."_

_Brock thanked her, taking the offered blanket from her. Unfolding it, he threw it around his shoulders before fumbling with the Poke balls on his belt, handing them off to Nurse Joy afterwards._

"_Chansey here will show you to your room, alright? Your Pokémon will be fine in my care," she added after a moment. _

_The teen nodded, picking himself out of the seat, his feet squelching in his shoes as he followed after Chansey._

"_It looks like he was drowned," Joy mumbled to herself, frowning as he disappeared around the corner._

"I wonder . . ." Joy mumbled, drumming her fingers against the desktop. "It _couldn't_ be . . ." she said, the pieces falling into place.

Shaking her head, she scooted her chair closer to her computer, curiosity gnawing at her as she grabbed her mouse. Clicking on her directory, she quickly scrolled through it, coming to a stop as she found Vermillion City. Clicking on the link, she sighed as she leaned back in her chair, waiting for the connection to be accepted.

Surely her sister at the Pokémon Center there would be able to confirm her suspicions. It _couldn't_ just be a coincidence – could it?

###

A/N –

Chapter Three down and things are starting to turn.

Now; Character Profiles.

**Name: **Erika Evans

**Age: **25 Years Old

**Birthday:** March 21st

**Hometown: **Celadon City, Kanto

**Bio:** Erika grew up in Celadon City and has spent a majority of her time in the bustling city. As a child, she had a slight fear of Pokémon, a reason she could never really explain. Her parents were botanists, whose flower shop was run out of the Greenhouse behind their house. Although she wasn't a fan of Pokemon, she still helped her parents out in the shop; hiding behind the counter as her parents Grass Type's ventured now and again into the front. It wasn't until Erika was eight and the store was busy that she was sent into the Greenhouse to locate a plant for a customer. Having never been by herself in the Greenhouse, Erika became easily lost and with a Grimer Pokemon having managed to set up residence in there as well (a door had gotten left open _again_) only to become cornered by the Sludge Type, a Gloom passing by moments later.

As Erika became ten years old, she opted out of starting out on her Pokemon Trainer journey. Instead, with her Gloom at her side, her parents enrolled her at the Pokemon Academy. As she learned the ins and outs of Pokemon – everything from their biology to the basics of taking care of them – she continued to work at her parents Greenery. Upon graduating five years later from the Academy, at the top of her class no less, Erika returned to the Greenery, taking over for her parents as they retired.

With her suggestive selling and knowledge on all products, Erika found their profits increasing year after year, which led her to buy a storefront on the main street. Yet again, the profits increased as she gained more attention from travelers and trainers moving between Vermillion and Saffron City.

With the annual Pokemon Trainers setting out each year, and the numbers of the Academy's decreasing each year, the Pokemon League found there was an increasing demand on their current four Gym Leaders. With Kanto's cities growing larger, they decided to open up an extra four Gym's – Pewter, Celadon, Fuchsia cities and Cinnabar Island being added. With her grades from the Academy and her strong bond with her Pokemon it wasn't a surprise as the League approached her, citing they would like offer her the offer of Gym Leader.

With that, Erika became the Gym Leader of Celadon City, while maintaining the Greenery turned Perfume Shop. When she first sees "Cole" standing lost and confused outside her shop, she finds herself interested in the dark haired youth. Her curiosity is only intensified when she confronts him in the Celadon Park where he appears confused again, unsure what it is he is truly after. Intrigued by him, Erika watches his actions and movements, the mystery of him getting the better of her. What type of ten year old didn't _want_ to have his own Pokemon Journey? If there's one thing Erika doesn't like, is a mystery keeping her up at night.


	4. 004: Catching my Breath

_Catching my breath_

_Letting it go_

_Turning my cheek for the sake of the show_

_Now that you know_

_This is my life_

_I won't be told what's supposed to be right_

_Catch my breath: Kelly Clarkson_

_###_

Delia Ketchum hated mornings.

She didn't like waking up to the singing of the birds outside her windows or looking at the calendar hanging by her door. As the clock chimed off every hour, she debated taking the old Pidgey clock down.

But, she _never_ could.

It had been his favourite as a kid.

That memory alone always made her stop.

Now, it was just a sad reminder, marking the slow passage of time.

The days grinded by, the sun still setting and rising, unaware of the tragedy.

The hole in her heart grew bigger by the day, as one day melded into the next and one month into another.

She found that she didn't _want_ to do anything. Her vegetable garden withered up thanks to her neglect, her lawn slowly becoming riddled by weeds. Her phone rang now and again, but she let it go straight to the answering machine, the newspapers piling up on her doorstep.

Delia Ketchum had lost her spark. She didn't know what to say and she _didn't_ want to hear any apologies or well wishes for _her_ future.

_What future?_ she wanted to tell the townsfolk who said that.

That's what everyone had told her at the small funeral; an empty casket sitting behind her. Everyone in town had come out to the event to say their apologies for her misfortune – what did they have to be sorry for? – saying things would get better in time.

She didn't plan on _'just getting over it'_. Ash had been her world and that had been taken away from her.

After the intimate ceremony at Pallet Town's small graveyard – which consisted of herself, Professor Oak and Misty's three older sisters (she _was_ surprised when the three appeared in the yard, never having met them) – she had returned home, depression slowly setting in.

As her garden and lawn started to show her inactivity, Professor Oak appeared on her doorstep, his knocks hard on the wooden frame. After getting no answer, he'd gone around to the side window, finding the spare key under her planter perched on the windowsill.

"Delia," he called, opening the front door. "Are you home?" he asked, after a moments pause.

The sunny kitchen was empty, dishes piled up on the counter. The living room was dim and the curtains were drawn. Raising an eyebrow, he moved slowly through the small foyer, listening. Nodding slightly as he heard the distant sound of a television running, the old Professor sighed, following the sound.

It didn't take him long to find the red haired woman sitting in the basement, the television dimly lighting the room. He shook his head, hearing the television discussing the opening of Indigo Plateau and the arrival of the Sacred Flame in a few days time.

"Honestly Delia," he said, crossing the room, moving between her and the television. "You need to get out of this house, this _isn't_ good for you." Shaking his head, he closed his eyes momentarily before throwing the blinds back.

Delia blinked as sunlight streamed into the room. She shook her head a couple times, running a hand underneath her eyes as she returned her attention to the now muted television. "The Indigo Plateau is starting soon. I suppose that Gary's going to be there?"

Professor Oak nodded, sitting down in one of her chairs, taking the remote off the coffee table for good measure. He had to admit, he was glad he had the red head talking. "Yes, he's all ready to go. I was speaking with him not to long ago; he wanted some of his Pokemon transferred over. He's already at the Pokemon Village, checking out his competition and making sure he's covered all his bases. I think that he's ready though, he's already gotten ten badges," – here, Delia raised an eyebrow. Wasn't there only _eight_ gyms? – "In order to train the past couple months, he decided to challenge the Battle Frontier, hidden gyms within Kanto that only a select group of trainers are invited to challenge. He's planning on completing it afterwards. He has very high hopes, that grandson of mine."

Delia nodded, forcing a smile. She'd noticed in the past that Professor Oak liked to talk about his well-to-do grandson, _future_ Pokemon Master.

"That means that Ash _would_ have been competing too . . ."

Professor Oak paused, cursing himself as he realized where this conversation was heading. "Delia, enough of this," he said with a frown, shaking his head. "The Sacred Flame of Moltres is only a few days away from the Plateau. Some of the people in town are planning to go and cheer on Gary – as a Pallet Town qualifier – and I think that it would be in your best interest to come as well. You need to get out of this house."

Delia nodded slightly. "Perhaps you're right, Samuel. Perhaps you are . . ."

The next morning, Delia found herself staring back at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her reflection made her wonder _what_ had happened in the past few months. Her red hair – which she usually kept carefully groomed – looked limp as it hung down, brushing against her shoulders. Her face had lost a majority of its colour, her makeup containers sitting unused on the countertop.

Delia shook her head, surprise etched across her face.

She really seemed to have let herself go.

Grumbling to herself about the amount of work she'd have to do, she leaned out into the hallway, glancing at the clock with a frown. Nodding to herself, she glanced fiercely at her reflection; she had an _hour_ before the van to the Plateau left. Smiling determinedly at herself, she pushed her hair back as she closed the bathroom door, wondering idly how she allowed things to get this far.

In the back of her mind, she had an idea.

An hour later, the doorbell rang.

Delia let out a smile as the sound echoed through her empty house, taking in her reflection in the hallway mirror. In the short time frame she'd had, she'd given her hair a quick wash and a blow dry, placing her long hair in her customary ponytail. Delia frowned as she glanced at the small makeup bottles on the counter, trying to debate which bottles she wanted to apply. Upon making a quick decision, she grabbed the nearest bottle – it would work for now. With that she was done, grinning at her reflection, before turning on her heel. Making a beeline for her closet, she threw the doors open in search of an outfit, tossing the clothes on her floor.

Dressed in a yellow shirt and purple skirt, Delia quickly descended the stairs as the doorbell rang once again. Feeling an excitement inside her – something she hadn't felt for ages, it seemed – she grabbed her purse and pink sweater as she past by the coat rack. Nodding to herself as she glanced in the mirror by the door once again, she smiled turning her attention to the door.

"Ready Professor," she said, opening the door.

She had to try and put her best foot forward.

The battles at the Indigo Plateau had been interesting. Gary had dominated his battles in both the Ice and Grass fields, but succumbed to defeat in the Rock Field, one mere fight away from the Semi Finals. The young trainer then had to sit out, watching the competition continue on without him. No doubt in her mind, the brunette disliked the outcome, making his opinion clear more then enough times.

She couldn't help but wonder how Ash would have fared in the competition.

He had talked about the celebrated event since he was seven. He had planned to compete and beat the Elite Four. He wanted to become the next Pokemon Master, just like Lance; the red haired, Dragon Trainer from Blackthorn City in the Johto Region.

"_Look at this, mom!" Ash said, grinning from ear to ear, holding out his jacket proudly. "I've got _**two **_badges now!"_

"_Oh, that's great, honey." Delia grinned, leaning in closer to the video screen. "You're doing great. How's Pikachu?"_

_She caught sight of the small electric rodent on her son's shoulder, its ears perking up at every sound. She still remembered the day the two of them had left a month ago, thunder shocking a majority of the town on their way. The image of Ash tying up Pikachu as he dragged it from the town was on her mind, the thought making her smirk._

"_Pikachu's doing great, mom," but, Ash couldn't help but frown. "Although, he didn't want to help me out in Cerulean City's Water Gym –"_

"_Oh? Why not?" Delia cut in, raising an eyebrow. "You seemed to be getting along when you were in Pewter City –"_

"_Oh we still are," Ash interrupted, shaking his head. "He just didn't want to battle Misty," – he saw a question forming on his mom's face – "She's the Gym Leader mom, can you believe it? That annoying girl's the leader . . ."_

"_Annoying? Did I just hear you right?"_

_Delia grinned, catching sight of Misty and Brock in the distance, the red head glaring in Ash's direction. "I see; she did seem very sure of herself from the beginning so that would explain it. So, where are you kids heading next?"_

"_We're heading over to Vermillion City to the next Gym. You're looking at the next Pokemon Master!"_

_Delia grinned, used to hearing Ash's comment. "Have fun honey and good luck. Call me again soon. I want to hear about your journey."_

"_I will mom. I'll call you again soon."_

"_Oh and Ash, don't forget to change your –" The line clicked out._

_She sighed, sitting back in her chair, glancing at the blank screen. Ash wasn't doing too bad for himself – he'd catch up with Gary in no time. _

_But, he __**never**__ did call again; the news about the SS Anne blaring from the headlines two weeks later._

The three spent the next two weeks at the Plateau and local Pokemon Village, watching the remaining battles, a trainer from Saffron City being crowned the winner. The Grand Ceremony at the end celebrated all the trainers that participated before closing their doors for another year.

"It's too bad about Ashy-boy," Gary said on the van back to Pallet, hands behind his head, glancing over his sunglasses. "I was actually looking forward to –"

"Gary!" Professor Oak cut in, glaring over his shoulder.

"Er . . . right . . ." the headstrong teen said, glancing over at Delia. "Sorry . . . I wasn't thinking about . . . _that_."

Delia smiled at the brunette, briefly looking at him. "Ash certainly would have enjoyed that, he'd been thinking about it since," she shook her head. "You did really well out there, Gary. I'm sorry that you didn't make it further."

Gary shrugged, waving the comment aside. "One match won't break my ideas; it's just one of many."

Delia nodded at his words, used to Gary thinking so highly of himself. "Where will head off to next, Gary?" she asked, leaning back in her seat, eyes closed. "Are you going to challenge the rest of the Battle Frontier?"

"I think I want to get stronger first," Gary said at length. "So far, the Frontier Brains have a variety of Pokemon, ones that aren't even registering in my Pokedex. I tell you, those ones are _real_ fun to battle against. I think that I might do some research on Pokemon before I head out; I want to see as _many_ Pokemon as possible."

"Your parents will be proud, Gary," Professor Oak said, turning to glance at him. "They've always wished that you would follow in my footsteps."

"No way," Gary commented immediately, rolling his eyes. "I'm _not_ interested in sitting in some lab, looking at computer screens for the rest of my life. I mean really . . . _how_ exciting."

Professor Oak sighed, shooting his grandson a look. "Really Gary, we're just looking out for –"

"And I know what I'm doing," Gary interrupted, waving his grandfather off, before placing his hands behind his head again. "You're_ almost_ as bad as my parents."

"Kids," Professor Oak mumbled under his breath.

"I'm _only_ researching where I should head next – that's all," Gary mumbled, leaning back in his seat. "I know what I'm doing."

Delia let out a laugh, shaking her head at the banter between grandfather and grandson. Leaning back into her chair, eyes closed, she slowly allowed her mind to wander.

_Seventeen year old Delia Ketchum sighed, glancing out the bus window, vaguely watching the scenery pass by. She frowned as she watched the trees rush by, the bus nearing Viridean City, Pallet Town a mere twenty minutes walk south from there. Pushing her long hair back, she closed her eyes momentarily, a frown marring her features._

_How she wished she could just _disappear_ into the forest and not return._

_Her mother was going to kill her._

_She hadn't wanted to return to Pallet Town like this, she had imagined something a bit more glamorous. _

_After studying at Professor Oak's lab for three years as an Aid alongside a couple other trainers, she decided one day she was going to travel the world. _

_She was fifteen and wanted to set the world on fire._

_She wanted to find out how Shellder clamping onto Slowpoke's tail created a Slowbro before moving on to discover the mystery of Slowking. _

_The legend of Dialga and Palkia of Sinnoh seemed intriguing as well. _

_But, she never made it any further then Mauville City in the Hoenn Region before her plans changed._

_Taking a break from her research in the museum, she'd decided to leave the bustling city, the popular beach catching her eye the past couple days. Naturally, being the headstrong teenager she was, she had to wear the two piece bathing suit her mother hated, flirting with the guys at the beach's snack shop._

_After that, she'd spent the next few days in the local museum, sorting out the information she had found, trying to decide her next move. She'd heard from the worker at the entrance that there was a massive library in Canalave City in the Sinnoh Region. She'd heard enough about the library, to know that a majority of the mystery of the legendaries had been uncovered in the Research Facility in Celestic Town._

_Nodding to herself, her curiosity getting the better of her, she decided she was heading for Sinnoh. The mystery behind Slowbro and Slowking could wait. If she managed to uncover – or at least help – in uncovering the mystery of the Legendaries it could be her ticket to being written in the history books._

Celestic Town here I come_, she thought idly, a plan in mind. _

_Two weeks later, the ship docking in the quaint town of Sandgem Town, she felt a sharp pain, but shrugged it off. It was just from her lack of funds, she told herself. She was hungry, her stomach protesting the long journey before her. _

_With the time difference and darkness setting in, Delia ended up staying in the local Pokemon Center, planning to start her journey out the next morning. She didn't admit it out loud, but she was _glad_ to finally sleep in a bed that didn't rock with every wave. _

_Boats just _weren't_ her thing. _

_The next morning, she set out early – after buying herself a map from the Poke Mart next door – arriving in Jubilife City by noon. Knowing she was pushing her luck, but with her Mime Jr.'s Pokeball safely attached to her necklace, she managed to make her way to Floaroma Town by nightfall._

_In her rented room at the Pokemon Center, she frowned as she felt the pain in her stomach flare up again. She ran a hand over her stomach, wondering what was wrong. She had ate well, her Mimey battling anything in their path. Eventually, she shook her head; maybe it was just a stitch in her side? She _had_ run the last portion of Route 204 as the sun started to set._

_Setting off the next morning – getting lost in Eterna Forest in the process – she didn't arrive in the bustling city until after sunset, her Mimey's health almost completely drained. Thinking about her Pokemon, she dropped him off at the Pokemon Center, hardly able to push away the pain she'd been feeling lately. _

_There was no way a stitch in her side could last that long . . ._

_Leaving Mime Jr. with the Center, Delia crossed the city, sighing to herself as the automatic doors of the hospital whirled open to allow her entrance. She frowned at the thought of staying in Etena when she was _this _close to her destination. _

_But, she knew the last thing she needed was something to go wrong on her journey._

_Better safe then sorry, her mother always told her._

_A week later, much to her dismay, she was released from the hospital, the doctor and nurse urging her to return home to Kanto. But, being the headstrong teenager she was, she ignored their advice, her plan in the forefront of her mind._

_She could do this; it was only a day's walk away anyway._

_Before she knew it, her portable computer weighing down her messengers' bag, her suitcase – jammed full with her observation binders – wheeling along behind her, did she arrive in Celestic Town._

_After meeting with the Elder, and head scientist, Caroline and her granddaughter Cynthia at the old ruins on the outskirts of town, she'd found her niche. Upon hearing why the red head had arrived in Sinnoh to hopefully find and hearing her being an Aid to the renowned Professor Oak, Caroline had agreed to take her on. _

Temporarily_, Caroline had stressed to her._

_Given a room in Caroline's house (you're not wasting money on a hotel somewhere, she had said) Delia made fast friends with Cynthia. The blonde quickly seeing through her façade, though she rarely brought it up. Delia shrugged when it was first brought up, she was a horrible liar anyway._

"_Can I ask you something?" Cynthia said one night, sitting on the edge of Delia's bed. "How does it feel . . . you have to be nervous, right? Way more then I am . . ."_

_Delia grinned, leaning back against the headboard. "I was nervous at first, but I was mad more then anything. I was stupid, irresponsible and," she shook her head. "Everything my mother didn't want for me. Lately, I've been kind of excited though. But, enough about me, I want you to do well in your matches tomorrow. I'm rooting for you – you know I'll be watching from here!"_

_The sixteen year old had completed her Pokemon Journey three years previous, over a hundred Pokemon to her name as she ended up in the top three in the Sinnoh League. She had spent the past three years helping out her grandmother with her field work as she trained her Pokemon rigorously all for this upcoming moment. Tomorrow morning, she and Caroline were heading to Sunyshore City to take a boat to the Pokemon League, where Cynthia was to battle to Elite Four. If she could defeat all four trainers, she would be named the Champion, joining their ranks. _

_These days she was rarely seen without her Gabite, spending a majority of her time training, discussing her strategies or watching endless battles of television. Delia knew Cynthia would be fine, no doubt emerging as the Champion. _

"_You better be, Lia! Oh, I wish you could be there in person, but I'll tell you what! When I do this – that means the victory was for my best friend, understand?"_

_Delia nodded, the two breaking into giggles._

_But, with the birth of her little boy – Ashton, she'd named him – six months later, she knew she was quickly overstaying her welcome in the small house. With Ashton crying loudly almost every night and her friendship with the blonde Champion slowly deteriorating, she decided to leave and return home to Kanto._

_She could just imagine her mother's response and the look on her face._

_Shifting Ashton's carrier from one hand to another and gripping her suitcase tightly, she sighed, glancing down the hill to the quaint, sleeping town. She took a deep breath, glancing over her shoulder at the forest separating Pallet from Viridean. Shaking her head – she _had_ to go home – she slowly started down the path, glancing at the sleeping five month old. _

_There was _little_ doubt in her mind that her reappearance, with a baby no less, would cause a ruckus. The well loved Delia Ketchum, Pokemon Aide to Professor Oak, setting out to blaze her own trail, only to return three years later with a baby?_

_Just like her predictions as she approached the town, the reaction of the townspeople were just as she imagined. Her mother was unimpressed as she opened the front door to find her daughter, her belongings in the suitcase wheeling along behind her and a baby carrier in her free hand. Grudgingly, her mother had allowed her into the house __**just**__ until she got on her feet again – as her mother continuously reminded her. Her mother managed to get Delia her old job as Oak's Aid, the teen slowly trying to get her life back on track._

"Delia?" Professor Oak said, interrupting the red head's thoughts.

"Hmm?" she mumbled, shaking her head as she glanced up.

"Come on, we've arrived in Pallet, this is our stop," Professor Oak said, at the same time Gary moved forward, opening the van's door. "I doubt you want to end up heading back to Viridean. You know what the fields are like."

He knew that after she heard about Ash's death aboard the St. Anne, she had returned Mimey to its' Pokeball, the red and white ball now collecting dust on her dresser.

Delia nodded, blinking as the sun shined in through the open door. "Yeah . . . let's go," she said, shaking the old memories from her mind.

Climbing out of the van, it struck her that she _hadn't_ been to Sinnoh in ten years. She thought about the binders boxed up in the back of her closet, maybe she should drag them out, for old times' sake. She wondered idly if Caroline and Cynthia would recognize her now, she wasn't the spunky sixteen year old anymore. Cynthia had been named Ash's Godmother, but after she left Celestic Town, they rarely spoke. She knew that Cynthia had achieved her goal of being the Champion of the Elite Four – and had kept her title as well – having seen the blonde on television numerous times, usually with the likes of Lance, Prima and the others.

One day, she had wanted to take Ash to Sinnoh, he had only been five months old the last time he'd been there. The thought stuck in her mind as she, Professor Oak and Gary started down the worn path into town.

Ash would never see Sinnoh; he would never see his birth place. She couldn't stop herself from thinking about the things her son would _**never**_ see.

###

Character Profiles

**Name: **Delia Ketchum

**Age:** 27 years old

**Birthday:** June 18th

**Hometown:** Pallet Town, Kanto

This chapter is very Delia centric. I was always intrigued by Delia's character in the show, the brief times that we see her. Her and Ash have such a close relationship (more so in the original seasons) and I can only imagine what would happen to her if she lost Ash.

The series never mentions anything about Ash's dad, so I tried to tie everything together through the flashbacks. I decided to make Delia an Aide to Professor Oak as when I was watching the third movie "Spell of the Unknown" that there is a picture of Professor Oak, Spencer Hale and herself in Pallet Town. So, I decided that since Delia looked younger in those photos; that she must have been training to do something in that field before she had Ash. For that reason, she is interested in the Legends of the Continents, the Slowpoke evolution chain, etc. etc. and I decided to send her to Sinnoh, which in my opinion, seems to be the continent with the most Legendaries written into it's storyline, excluding the movies.

I made Delia's personality the opposite of what she is in the show, opting to show her more carefree side. Since, Ash appears to have no one other then his mother, I decided to create a rift between Delia and her mother, meaning that Ash would have little contact with his grandparents. I left the confusion of Ash's father the way it is, as Delia is not quiet sure who it would have been, having separated herself from the way she acted as a somewhat, rebellious teenager.

Okay, not much of a profile, but I digress.


	5. 005: Passage of Time

_. . . One Year Later . . ._

_Beep Beep_.

Deep under the covers, Willow groaned, gripping the covers tightly over her head. All she wanted to do was sleep; could they at least understand that?

In the past year, it had felt like she had _lived_ in the training room, with the likes of Jackie yelling at her, correcting her _every_ move. The first three months had been rough; what with Jackie arriving at her dorm room at five in the morning, demanding that she get up for training. Then, until lunch they'd do field exercises and then they'd move onto reaction times.

Without a doubt, the blonde knew how to get under her skin.

After four months of eating and sleeping training, Jackie finally ended up being called upon by Misha. Not long after that, he ended up going to the Kanto Region to find some Underwater Temple or whatever. In replacement, she ended up with Breydon.

"_Whoa, Willow, you're here early," Breydon said one morning, pushing the door open. "It's eight am . . . how long . . .?"_

"_Since five," she shrugged, pushing her bangs back. _

_Breydon blinked, shoving his hands into his pockets as he crossed the room. He watched as the red head grabbed her water bottle, sitting down on the tabletop, ponytail swaying behind her. "I'm guessing that you had the infamous Jackie Walker training you, huh?"_

"_How'd you guess?" Willow quipped, tightening her ponytail. _

"_He trained me like that too; he's like that with _everyone_. But, getting up at five when you don't have too," he let out a whistle. "Talk about dedication."_

_Willow nodded idly, a smirk on her features. "Well, I have to have some kind of edge, you know."_

_Breydon let out a laugh, leaning against the pole behind him. "I suppose that you're right though. Misha Varsa is one tough lady to try and impress. Now, tell me what have you and Jackie been up to in here?"_

_With a majority of field exercise routines and reaction times under her belt, Breydon had managed to convince Misha to let them head out to Fiore, twenty minutes away for some hands on training._

_The first couple of days they made use of her Goldeen by doing some water exercises. Breydon wasn't surprised with her ability in the water as she worked seamlessly with her Goldeen. It was as if this was something she had done more then enough times . . ._

_After a few days, they moved on from Water Pokémon and onto the likes of Grass, Flying and Rock. She didn't do half bad with them, but she had a hard time communicating with the Rhyhorn. As for Fire and Psychic, they just _didn't_ seem to mesh well with the red head._

"_Morning Willow," Breydon called every morning, hardly surprised to see the red head already in the training room, waiting. "Come on, get over here," he said, months later, waving her over. "Misha wants to see you."_

"_Miss. Varsa?" Willow said, jogging over to the brunette, who ushered her quickly out the door. "What would she . . .?" she paused, noticing the slight smirk on Breydon's features. "Scratch that, what's on your mind?"_

_Breydon only shook his head, remaining quiet for once, as he led her down the winding corridors. She watched him warily out of the corner of her eye, taking in a breath as they stopped before Misha's door minutes later; her name and rank written on the door._

"_Should we kno–"_

_Breydon shook his head, reaching past her and turning the doorknob. "Misha – I brought her."_

_The brunette glanced up over her glasses, nodding at the empty chairs opposite her desk. Breydon let out a muted laugh as he ushered Willow forward as Misha glanced back at her computer screen, fingers flying across the keyboard._

"_I see what you mean. That does seem very strange, Officer Jenny. Yes, I'll contact you with the details shortly . . . yes, they just arrived. Yes, yes, I understand your predicament. Goodbye."_

_Willow raised an eyebrow at Misha's conversation – shouldn't she be holding a _phone_? – watching the brunette as she sat in one of the seats offered to her. She glanced at Breydon, who didn't seem concerned, before looking back at Misha. Narrowing her eyes, she watched as Misha pushed her long hair back, the silver of her Bluetooth catching the light overhead._

"_Now then," Misha said loudly, swiveling her chair around to face Willow and Breydon. "I'm sure you're wondering why you were brought here. Since you've been here, I've been watching you closely, Willow Montgomery. From the reports that I've received from both Jackie and Breydon, I have come to the conclusion that you do indeed meet the set requirements. So, should you wish it, I would like to offer you a position within our ranks."_

_Willow blinked, taking in what Misha had just told her. She thought idly that she must have an odd expression on her face. Shaking her head after a moment, she glanced momentarily at Breydon, who had a look of knowing on his face, before glancing back to Misha. The brunette was glancing over her glasses at her as she leaned back in her chairs, waiting patiently. _

"_I would like that very much," Willow said slowly, nodding. "I . . . I don't know what to say."_

"_Yes will suffice," Misha said, turning back to her computer screen, a sound emitting from her speakers. "Now, you will have to make your way up to earning solo missions, you're not anywhere near that level. As you may have noticed, Officer Jenny just –"_

_"What's wrong?" Breydon interrupted, suddenly sitting up straight, looking alert or worried, Willow couldn't tell. "Is something –" he broke off as Misha held up her hand._

"_That was Officer Jenny from Larousse Town in the Hoenn Region; it seems that something has gone wrong and the citizens have been evacuated and a force field has been erected around the town. Rumor has it that two Pokémon and a handful of citizens have been locked within. You and Breydon have actually arrived at the right moment, how would you like this to be your first mission? Breydon doesn't mind your company and you would get first hand experience immediately."_

_Willow nodded, overwhelmed. "Yes ma'am, I would be honored to go. Thank you."_

_Misha nodded, waving the comment aside. "Thank me when you return, Willow; you'll know if you like it then. Breydon, you know what to do. You will leave immediately, go and pack your things. I will inform Officer Jenny that you are on your way. Good luck and return soon." _

_Breydon and Willow nodded, sensing the dismissal._

"_Oh and Breydon," she said as Willow disappeared out the door. "Keep an eye on her, alright? We don't want any accidents."_

"_Right," he replied, nodding. "We'll be seeing you then."_

Pushing the covers back as the beeping got louder – and more irritating in her opinion – she glared at the item on her nightstand. Narrowing her eyes as she grumbled to herself, she snatched it up off the nightstand, silencing the alarm with the touch of a button. Sighing as silence engulfed the room, Willow pushed herself up into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard. She turned the communicator over in her hands, of _course _it would have an alarm on it, she propped it against her knees, frowning.

She remembered how happy she was when she had first received it and since then, it had lost its shine and the screen had a few nicks in it from previous run ins.

"I just got back three days ago with Marina, _what_ could be wrong now?" she mumbled to herself.

Lately, it had seemed that there were so many incidents with either hurt or confused Pokémon and not enough Rangers to get the jobs done. She wished Solona had told her this at the beginning. In the last two months, if she had ten days off, she was doing well. As to date, her most interesting adventure was when she and Solona had been set to Almos Town in the Sinnoh Region to help solve the mystery of Darkrai only to end up with the town shrinking around them. _That_ had been interesting.

"Now, what do we have here?" she mumbled, touching the flashing envelope in the top corner. "Breaks over, report to my office immediately. I have a new case for you." Willow read out, her voice monotone, her smile turning into a frown.

It was just like Misha Varsa to be blunt in her messages. Placing the communicator on her messy bed, she hurried over to the closet, pulling out her all too familiar Ranger outfit. "So much for a few days off," she said, tossing them on her bed.

###

"Ahh . . . I can't _wait_ till tomorrow!" Duplica complained, pushing her textbook across the table, away from her. "Thank God we only have Professor's Poplar and Maple's tests left," she stretched out, a grin on her features. "They won't be too bad."

"You're lucky," Anabel said with a sigh, pushing her purple hair back. "I would do anything to redo Poplar's test. Having to survive that Pokémon course for an hour and a half with your Pokémon? Kadabra and I had no problem with that, although we did cream Giselle and her Cubone though . . ."

"You would," Cole said with a laugh, pushing the psychic trainer. "She's so . . ." he shook her head.

"I know why you targeted Giselle," Duplica stage whispered, a smirk on her lips. "It's because of the incident at Spring Fling, right?" she let out a giggle at Anabel's face went red.

"I have Maple too," Cole said, oblivious to Duplica's words. "It's a waste of time though, if you ask me. I don't need quadratic equations and algebra in real life."

"You have to pass!" Anabel spoke up loudly, glaring at them. "Or else you'll have to stay here all summer for the make up exams! Who wants to spend _all _summer doing that?" she grumbled, curling her nose up.

"You sound like Duplica, Ana," Cole chided, winking at her.

"Well, even I like my summer to be school free," Anabel said, tossing her math book in Cole's direction, scooting closer to him. "Who wants to stay here, anyway? I'll help you study, we've got all night."

"Well . . . Erika's coming at nine," he interrupted, sheepishly.

"We can just call her and tell her we're going to pull an all nighter!"

"You'd like that," Duplica smirked, earning a glare from Anabel. "Anyway, we'll have to head out and celebrate when the exams are all over."

"Yes, definitely," Anabel said, nodding rapidly, before glaring at Cole. "See, _this_ is why you have to pass Maple's class. Otherwise, Duplica and I will just have to go without you. What do you want to do afterwards, anyway?" she asked, turning her attention to Duplica.

"I vote for the Arcade."

"Ugh, you're _such_ a guy, Cole!" Duplica commented, rolling her eyes. "Let's go to the movies at the very least, it would be fun."

"Oh! That new Wigglytuff movie's out tomorrow, we should go!" Anabel said, grinning.

Cole wrinkled up his nose, glancing between the two girls, each talking at the same time. "If this is _another_ one of those romantic movies . . . being the _only_ guy in the theatre is not cool."

"You said you didn't mind it," Anabel laughed, nudging him. "Go and call Erika, there's an extra sleeping bag in the closet you can borrow."

Cole nodded, smiling at Anabel as she shooed him away with her hand. Shaking his head, he pushed himself up off of the floor, the floorboards creaking underfoot as he moved across the room. Duplica watched him go with narrowed eyes, before turning her attention to Anabel as she leaned across the table.

"You're starting to make me feel like a third wheel here, you know," she said with a laugh. "So, when can I come and visit you this summer? Make sure your sister knows I'm coming this time . . ."

The last time she had gone over to Anabel's home in Saffron City, her elder sister Sabrina had answered the door. Having never met the girl, she was intimidated by her haunted expression, the older girl barring her entrance, claiming that Anabel wasn't home. To which, she sat on the picturesque porch for the next two hours _waiting_ for Anabel.

"Yeah . . . she never even told me you were out there. I was wondering where you were after a while. If _only_ you had a Pokegear, it would have been much simpler," Anabel said dramatically, shaking her head. "But, Sabrina and I _never_ see eye to eye about anything! She's been spending a lot of time at her Gym lately though, so it _shouldn't_ be a problem."

Duplica nodded, flipping her pigtails back. "Can you imagine Cole meeting Sabrina? She'd probably scare the daylights out of him," she let out a small laugh. "Hey . . . what's with the face?"

Anabel frowned, placing her chin in her palms, staring blankly at the table. "He's not coming. Cole can't come and visit this summer."

"Why not?" Duplica demanded, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, you guys are _dating_ – it's been eight months! Don't tell me he's chickening out, Erika would totally say yes! Unless," she shook her head. "Is there . . . someone else?"

Anabel shook her head, glaring at Duplica. "NO! No, there's no one else!" she said loudly, her expression fierce. "I asked him to come and visit me, but he doesn't think that he'll be back much before school restarts. See, he got really into Professor Pine and Blossom's classes about Pokémon knowledge and technology and he wants to spend the summer doing some field research watching and observing Pokémon."

Duplica shrugged, rolling her eyes. "So, he's going to spend the summer traipsing around Kanto, hello! Why don't you _ask_ to go with him? Besides, if he's going through Kanto, that means he'll have to come close to Saffron City! Man, boys can be dense – he can come and see you then . . ."

Anabel shook her head, hiding her laughter behind her hands. "Don't you think I've thought of that? But, Erika agreed to send him to Hoenn for the summer; he wants to see the Regional Pokémon there. Apparently, Erika's already been in contact with Professor Birch. She's asked Birch to keep in contact with Cole throughout the summer, to see how he's doing. Erika really cares for him even though they're not related. I was talking to Erika a couple days ago; she thinks that this journey might actually _help_ him. Well, you know that he has no memories of the past and Erika wonders if this might be beneficial to him, going off on his own like this. It might bring back some of his memories . . ." Anabel closed her eyes momentarily, biting down on her bottom lip. "I hate to say it, I worry about that, what if he remembers and _leaves_. Or, if there was another girl . . ."

"Stop that," Duplica said, leaning across the table, her eyes narrowed. "Cole loves _you_. That fact that he doesn't remember doesn't change who he is, Ana. Besides, _honestly_, can you see Cole with anyone else? It took him almost four months to ask you out, remembering him stumbling over his words? Come on, you even had to ask him _'are you asking me out?_ So yes, I doubt there is another girl in the picture. Your personality doesn't change if you don't remember something."

Anabel nodded slowly, smiling. "Just don't get him started on his journey – he'll talk _forever_ about it!"

Duplica laughed, casting a sideways glance at Cole, his back to them as he talked into the phone. "Boys . . . they're all strange! I'm just going to stick to my Ditto and my soon-to-be Imitate House. I don't need some guy following me around."

Anabel laughed, that was Duplica for you. The blue haired girl wanted to do everything on her own. "Sometime, I honestly feel the same, Duplica." she mumbled quietly as Cole said his goodbye's, hanging up the phone. "Boys."

Duplica let out a laugh, flopping down to lie on the floor. "So Cole, what'd Erika say?"

"Ha, she said that I better make sure that I pass Maple's class with at least a B. I'm _so_ dead, I really have to hit the books now . . ."

"See, I was right. But, no, you wouldn't listen to me. Keep slacking off on your homework and you'll be doomed at exams? But did you listen to me? Nope – so hit those books!" Duplica commanded, pointing at the books.

"Yeah, right," Cole said, bringing the textbook closer to him, motioning Anabel over. "And same goes for you, you're not much better then I am either."

Duplica scowled, bringing her textbooks closet to her. "Whatever Cole, you know that Ditto and I can take anyone down! We'll get an A for sure in Poplar's class, that'll make up for any screw up in Maple's. So you and your Aipom better watch out, you might be my target . . ."

Cole glared at her, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, you two better pass," Anabel threatened, playfully shoving Cole while narrowing her eyes at Duplica. "Celebrating passing on my own is going to be _no_ fun!"

###

He was an instant hit.

Under the watchful eyes of Alvin – who constantly seemed to be looking for him to mess up – Brock had made his mark on the Alavanti Ship. He knew that Alvin scoffed and rejected his presence behind his back, claiming that the brown haired teen wouldn't make it past Johto.

Knowing this, Brock had picked out his two best recipes from his notebook and after two dishes, he had gained his passage. The customers adored the new dishes, glad for the change, giving it high praise.

Much to Alvin's dismay, the captain approached Brock three days into the journey to Johto, stating that Brock had gained his passage on the Alavanti. With the prestige chef's outfit that was given to him, Brock's old clothes, a majority from stores in Hutber Port, found themselves in the back of his closet. After a while, he forgot that they were there, picking up new clothes along the portside towns with his large paychecks.

The ship made good time to Olivine City in the Johto Region, spending a week in the city taking in the beach and the sights the city had to offer. A week after docking, the ship moved on through the rest of the Johto Region before returning to Kanto, the cruise ending in Cinnabar Island seven months later.

Given a two months vacation after seven months at sea, Brock had decided to spend his time sightseeing. The first thing he wanted to do was check out the Seafoam Islands – it was supposed to be the _hotspot_ for the summer. He tried, and failed, to learn how to wind surf. He spent most of the time falling into the water, it seemed. After a while, he eventually gave up deciding to simply lounge on the beach, admiring the girls that walked by. After checking out the local tours the town had to offer, he found himself back in Cinnabar Island before he knew it. He'd heard nothing but great things about the Ancient Pokémon Museum.

Halfway through his vacation, while training his newly caught Lotad on the Islands' beach, he overheard the other trainers discussing this year's ongoing Pokémon League Championships, betting on who would be the winning trainer. He'd seen the events on television a couple times, but he wasn't much of a television junkie so he never paid it much attention.

"I'm _telling_ you!" One girl said loudly, grooming her Clefairy on the boardwalk's ledge. "That Gary Oak, he's _definitely_ going to win! Did you see his Nidoking in action? He's got his bases covered."

"Please," the boy beside her grumbled, rolling his eyes. "You're only saying that because you think he's cute."

The girl shrugged, patting her Clefairy's head, obviously done. "Say what you want, but he's going to be the Master," she said, grabbing her bag. "Can you imagine him battling with the likes of Lance and the others of the Elite Four? That would be so . . ." she shook her head, speechless.

That night, out of curiosity, Brock turned on his television in the four star hotel, tuning into the Pokémon Tournament at Indigo Plateau. He found himself intrigued in the battles waging on the four different fields, the video sparking some memories that he'd long forgotten . . .

"_How on earth do you plan on becoming a Pokémon Master?" Brock asked, frowning as he unrolled his sleeping bag for the fifth night in a row. "You're the only trainer from - that only has three Pokémon to his name."_

_The teen opposite him scowled in his direction, his face blurred. "I know that I can do it, I've got it under control. You don't have to worry Brocko. All you need is a strategy to –"_

"_Please, and you have _neither_," a girls' voice said, glaring at the two. "Honestly, where would you be without us?"_

Gary Oak . . . _why_ did that name seem so familiar?

It wasn't long after that, that Gary lost in the matches, inches away from the semi-finals.

Brock couldn't explain it as he watched the regional tournament unfold on the small screen, but _something_ was stirring in his memory.

The Pokémon League . . . Indigo Plateau . . .

There was something there, nagging in the back of his mind.

If _only_ he could put his finger on it.

The next week, however, before he could sit down and figure out the thoughts chasing each other around in his head – and _**if**_ it connected to his forgotten memories – he found himself boarding the Alavanti once again. Making his way down the familiar corridors, he pushed the thoughts away, having to concentrate on preparing the new delicacies for their journey through Sinnoh and the arrival of new passengers.

###

Three months later, Brock found himself in Canalave City, the cruise ship having decided to dock in the seaside town for a few days to take in historical sights. With daily cruises to the Iron Islands happening, tours of the Museum taking place every hour, the city had many things to offer.

When he wasn't scheduled to be in the ships' kitchen, Brock found himself in the large three story library situated in the middle of town; pen in hand, papers littering the desks' surface.

His notebook had been empty on the first day, a puzzled look on his face as he entered the massive library. Frowning slightly as he moved around, looking at everything, skimming through the immense index catalog the library had.

By the end of the first day, the first few pages had been filled with his scrawl, some lines completely scratched out. He had tried to describe the two figures from his memories, trying to recall as much detail as possible – _besides_ their hair colour.

He wrote down what came to find while he was watching the Regional Pokémon Tournament on television, but he still couldn't make heads of tails of it all.

The next few days, he'd started looking through the books on the second and third floors. He looked through the Index Catalog for both floors, trying to locate any books written on current events of the past year. Hours later, he'd still come up with nothing, which annoyed him to no end.

On the fourth day, he never made it near the library, having been cornered and pressured by some of his colleagues on the cruise liner to join them on the local boat to the Iron Islands. He didn't let his annoyance show as they boarded the tourist book – the others making sure that he joined them – his friends' teasing him about his sudden change of personality, his nose always in a book nowadays.

The fifth day, Brock tossed his pen and notepad into his messenger bag – telling himself that _today_ would be the day – that today he would find what he was looking for. Throwing on his windbreaker, he grabbed his bag as he went, locking his cabin door behind him.

He couldn't explain it, but he could _feel_ that something was going to happen.

Lost in his own thoughts as he adjusted the strap on his messenger bag, he walked quickly down the familiar hallway, the carpet muting his footsteps. He was eager to get to the library, as he only had two more days left before the cruise liner pulled out, heading towards the ever-snowy Snowpoint City.

"So, tell me, are you off to the library again?"

Brock jumped out of his thoughts, the voice breaking through his concentration. Brown eyes glanced around the corridor, his hand automatically gripping his bag as he came to a stop a few feet away from the door leading to the pier.

His eyes fell on his quarry, a dark haired girl, her bangs falling into her eyes, was sitting on the bench beside the door, her sharp eyes staring intently at him. She grinned cheekily at him as she gave a small wave before pushing herself effortlessly off the bench. Crossing her arms over her chest without another word to him, she seemed to move towards him, coming to a stop in front of the open door. The sea breeze rustled her hair slightly and Brock couldn't miss the smirk apparent on her features.

_Just who is this girl?_ he thought to himself, frowning inwardly.

"Lucy Harrison," she said bluntly as if she read his thoughts, holding her hand out. "And you are?"

Okay, so maybe she _couldn't_ read his mind.

"Brock," he said, moving to one side, hoping to sidestep the girl. "Now, if you'll excuse me."

Lucy nodded with a frown, her hand dropping back to her side. Shaking her head to dispel her thoughts, she clasped her hands behind her back, taking one step to the right as well. She forced down the smirk wanting to appear on her lips as Brock paused, narrowing his eyes at her.

"You didn't answer my question, Brock. Are you heading to the library again? You must be quiet the bookworm." She giggled as Brock moved around her.

Brock raised an eyebrow, pausing momentarily. Sighing slightly, he glanced over his shoulder, the dark girl's back to him. "How do you –"

"I've seen you," she said with a shrug, turning around on her heel. "You're not very friendly, I'll have you know. You seem to be so into your work, you forget to look at what's _around_ you. So, I might have seen you a couple times around then, the City's not that big," she said, nonchalant. "You must be looking for something, this is the first time this entire trip that I've seen you on the ship. Tell me though, what are you looking for?"

Brock closed his eyes momentarily as the dark haired girl followed after him. Their footsteps echoed off the metallic ramp connecting the ship to the pier making Brock roll his eyes. Just who was she? Couldn't she _bother_ someone else? Shifting his bag around slightly, hoping she might get the hint that he was _busy_.

"Fine," he eventually said, halfway across the pier, the black haired girl keeping pace with him. "I'm looking for something I forgot a long time ago."

"Oh?" Lucy said, stretching her arms out before her. "What did you forget then? It must be really important if you're looking _this _hard."

"It's everything," Brock said grudgingly, not wishing to discuss it with some random girl. "Everything from a year ago . . . it's just gone."

"Huh, a year ago . . ." she frowned, shoving her hands into her pockets, glancing at the cobbled street underfoot. "Well, where are you from then?" she asked after a moment, her expression slightly puzzled. "I'm from Kanto. I'm known as the _Pike Queen._ I'm part of the Battle Frontier."

"The Battle Frontier?"

"It's more-or-less exactly the same as the other Gym's in Kanto, but the Battle Frontier is invitation only. We _only_ want the best trainers, Scott's really good at it and he can pick them a mile away."

Pokémon Gyms . . . badges . . . it was _right_ on the tip of his tongue.

Brock nodded, his footsteps slowing as he felt Lucy's piercing stare. "I'm from . . ." he shook his head, the words' invading him. "Kanto," he eventually said.

Lucy rolled her eyes, punching him lightly in the arm. "Kanto, you say? Fine then, be all mysterious like that, Mr. Brock," she said, trying to keep her expression serious. "Did you hear about the sinking of the St. Anne a year ago?" she asked, racking her brain for something to say, the library just up ahead. "They're holding a ceremony in Vermillion City on the weekend, I wish I could be there, I can't believe what –" Lucy paused midsentence, glancing over her shoulder as Brock wasn't standing beside her anymore.

A worried expression appeared on her face as she took in his look, many different expressions running across his face. "Hey, are you alright?"

Brock had stopped in the middle of the road, his eyes wide, and his expression next to impossible to read. "That was a . . ."

"Yeah, a year ago," Lucy said slowly taking a step towards him. "What about –"

"I got to go," Brock said quickly, shaking his head. Picking up his pace again, he pushed past Lucy, leaving her standing in the middle of the road, confusion on her features. "Thanks though," he yelled, clutching his messenger bag closer to him.

"_Oh wow, a cruise ship! Imagine lounging on the deck all day, travelling the world in style."_

"_Look at all the Pokémon Trainers here . . ."_

"_If they think that they can take our Pokémon, we have to fight back."_

"_I think the ships' turned upside down, so that means the decks are below us and the hull is up above our heads."_

"_This __**isn't**__ good . . . that's Gyardos's Dragon Rage!"_

One after another, images were popping into his mind, everything . . . falling . . . into . . . place . . .

###

Willow stretched her arms out before her, trying to stifle a yawn. She really needed some more sleep. Shaking her head, Willow moved with purpose down the empty hallway, her cerulean eyes staring straight ahead. She pursed her lips together, her mind jumbled with thoughts as she approached the closed door at the end of the hall. Her ponytail bobbed behind her with each step, her pace slowing as she knocked soundly on the CEO's door.

"Come in," came the voice from inside.

"Miss. Varsa," Willow said, entering the room, her expression unreadable, closing the door soundlessly behind her. "I arrived as quickly as possible."

"Yes, thank you Willow," she said tiredly, smiling warmly at the red head.

Willow smiled back, her footsteps muted by the plush carpet as she crossed the room, sinking into the chair opposite the desk. The brunette CEO sitting behind the desk had seen better days in her opinion. Holding back a yawn as she fixed the glasses perched on her nose, the computer speakers sounded off behind her, making Misha let out a groan.

"Another email," she mumbled under her breath, bags under her eyes as she glanced over at the computer screen. "What is going _on_ out there?" she muttered, scanning the email. "Could this have something to do with the sudden appearances of Dialga, Palkia and Giritina?"

"Ma'am?"

Willow rolled her eyes, had Miss. Varsa forgotten about her that quickly? She knew that there were a lot of things of the Pokémon Ranger's CEO's plate, but to call her this early in the morning?

_This had_ better_ be important,_ Willow thought idly.

"Oh right, sorry Willow." Misha said, shaking her head, turning away from her screens. "I'm at my wits end lately as there seem to be _so_ many problems cropping up. If this keeps up for much longer, I'll have to hire more employees. But with this budget . . . well, that's for me to worry about," she frowned. "Willow, I need you head out to Kanto as soon as possible for me."

". . . _Kanto_ . . ." Wasn't she found halfway between there and Sinnoh?

"Yes," Misha said, unaware of the red head's thoughts. "I received an urgent email from Bill Adams; he's a highly renowned scientist, currently residing in a lighthouse located just outside of Cerulean City."

"C – Cerulean City?"

Why did that sound so familiar? Like _something_ from the past . . .

"He's been trying to locate a Dragonite inhabiting the coastline, but it seems that members of Team Rocket have also heard about it as well. They have been combing the coast all week and Bill is worried about the welfare of the hiding Pokémon. However, he is unable to do anything about it on his own, what with his research taking up a majority of his time. It's taken me a week to get around to even addressing this issue," she shook her head, frowning. "Now, I know you haven't done many missions on your own yet, but I cannot ignore this any longer. At the moment, I don't have any experienced Ranger that I could send to remedy this situation. However, since this mission seems relatively simple, it would be a good starting point for your career here. It is very sudden but I know that you can handle this. The small boat for Kanto is currently getting prepared, so please make your way down to Garage C as you will be leaving immediately."

Willow nodded, sensing the dismissal in Misha's words. Picking herself up out of the chair, Willow crossed the room, pushing the door open. Glancing back as she closed the door behind her, she noticed Misha had turned around in her chair, speaking to someone through her Bluetooth device, her fingers typing rapidly on her keyboard.

As the office door closed behind her, Willow frowned, running a hand across her face, eyes closing.

Cerulean City . . . the name felt so familiar on her tongue.

"What's going on?" she mumbled, starting down the corridor. "Just . . . _who_ are you?"

The blonde haired woman had appeared in her mind, flanked by the black haired teen – now with a red hat – and another with spiky brown hair. However, their faces were still blurred.

"What do you want from me?" she screamed as she rounded the corner, hands balled into fists, her thoughts muddled.

###

A/N –

It was time to flash forward one year in order to really get this story moving.

So, Ash has made his new life in Celadon City, attending the prestigious Pokémon Academy located there. He has made close friends in both Duplica and Anabel, the latter eventually becoming his girlfriend. Happy there, he tried to forget that he had forgotten stuff, but when the Christmas Vacation started, he realized he _must_ have a family out there somewhere. Afterwards, he debated about whether or not he wanted to find his past. That led him to the decision to travel to Hoenn over the summer holidays to think and try to work through his thoughts.

Brock has made his home aboard the cruise ship Alavanti, travelling the world. He wants to know where he was before hand and what he has forgotten. He tries to research things when he's on vacation and has some time when docked in the different cities. Brock is very close to figuring out the truth.

Misty, on the other hand, has completely forgotten about it because of her busy schedule. She is so wrapped up in her world, that she rarely knows what is going on in the outside world – except things in regards to her job. She is also the furthest away from Kanto, what with Almia being in the farthest Northeast corner of the map.

With the Pokémon Academy that Ash is currently attending, it is the most famous school in the Kanto region, with high tuition prices and a high grade point average. With all the Professors, I decided to name them after different types of trees/plants, as that seems to be a theme with all the previous professors in the seasons.

Professor Cedar – English

Professor Poplar – Gym

Professor Maple – Math

Professor Evergreen – Science

Professor Pine – Pokémon Knowledge

Professor Blossom – Pokémon and Technology

Knowing the Professors for each subject isn't that important, as they are only mentioned in passing. This is just some extra information.

Till next time!


	6. 006: Discovery

_It's time to begin, isn't it?_

_I get a little bit bigger, but then_

_I'll admit_

_I'm just the same as I was_

_Now don't you understand_

_That I'm never changing who I am_

_It's time: Imaginary Dragons_

_####_

Melody grinned as she kicked off her sandals before flopping down onto the wooden dock. She let out a laugh as she dipped her toes into the cool water, the waves slapping up against the dock, wetting the bottoms of her jeans. Leaning back on her palms, she closed her eyes as the sun beat down on her, her headphones hanging around her neck.

She didn't understand why she had to be the one to come down to the dock to pick up her adoptive sister.

_You'd think that after a year, she would know where we lived_, she thought sarcastically. _We're only a five minute walk away._

After the annual celebration a year ago, Samantha had decided since Jessilina had no where to return to, she should come and stay with them. So now, instead of just having to deal with Karol, she had Jessilina to contend with as well.

Just the thought of it made her shudder; it was well known that she didn't get along with the red head. Idly, she figured that she was sent down here to _hopefully_ patch things up with Jessilina. She had _no_ plans of doing that, however. Jessilina had stomped and bossed her around more times then she could count. It was easier to ignore her.

The red head had taken Samantha up on her offer, moving into the house the next day. Tiding up the house, Samantha had made room for the red head, as if their house wasn't already crowded enough. As usual, luck _wasn't_ on Melody's side as the room just happened to be beside hers. She tried to ignore the red head, especially as Jessilina exclaimed she didn't like her music and Samantha forced Melody – _my own grandmother_, Melody would huff – to turn it down.

As of yet, Melody had yet to pinpoint what made Jessilina so self righteous. Not only did Jessilina try to boss her around, but she liked to demand what was served for breakfast, refusing to eat it if it didn't suit her. The slim red head, after watching too much of the fitness and foods network, slowly became a calorie counter and increasingly more annoying. Melody might have contemplated more then once about shoving a crème pasty at her, sprinkles littering the top.

"You're going to be thirty and chubby . . . those are going to go straight to your hips."

"Shut _up_, Jessilina," Melody would respond, reaching for another sugary treat in spite of her. "That just means that there's more for me then."

After that, the two rarely paid attention to one another, ignoring each other while in each others presence. On the other hand, Jessilina and Karol got on with each other rather well, the two hanging out whenever Karol wasn't running off to one of her many jobs. Melody had been glad that the two bonded; the two girls' spent a majority of their time out of the house. She'd been glad when the two went to Navel Island during summer vacation for a week, begrudging the idea of their return.

Just her luck though, Jessilina had returned with a crush on the suave, Orange Islands gym leader Danny, which took up a majority of what she spoke about.

_Right, just like so many other girls . . ._ Melody sighed, rolling her eyes at the mention of the Orange Islands-famous brunette.

With a push from Karol, the eighteen year old signed up for some classes at the community college, a sudden interest in radio and television.

_Finally giving into her flamboyant side,_ Melody thought.

"Melody!" A loud voice said, a shadow falling over her. "How many times have I _told_ you – the sun's going to ruin your complexion? Honestly!"

Melody groaned, opening her eyes slowly, only to find Jessilina standing over her, her hands on her hips. "And yet, I _rarely_ listen to you," she said with a shrug as she picked herself up off the dock, slipping her sunglasses on. "You can always just go home without me, you know? I like it down here, it's _**quiet,**_" she shrugged. "I can finally hear myself think for a change."

Jessilina shrugged, a huge grin appearing on her features. "You'll never guess what happened at work today," Melody rolled her eyes behind her glasses as she picked up her sandals. "We were talking at work today, well, naturally we were, but it seems our viewer ratings have been going down lately. The executives were trying to figure out how to get them up again, so I just happened to be in the room at the time and I mentioned the Pokémon Celebration that we have here. They were really interested in it – especially considering that I'm the Festival Maiden this year – and they're discussing about doing the show _live_ from here. Wouldn't that be interesting? Danny thinks it's a good idea, if only I can convince Elder Terrance and Samantha to agree to opening up the celebration to the world . . ."

"Uh huh, good luck with that," Melody said dryly, slipping on her earphones.

In the past thirty years, they'd _never_ allowed camera's in, wanting to keep the tradition a secret. That was why the trainers lined up year after year, trying to be the first one to locate the Island, desiring to be the center of attention.

####

The sun beat down on the street as people moved about quickly, intent on getting the best of the early morning markets. Throughout the bustling, one posh figure moved through the crowds, people moving out of his way as he approached. His messenger bag hung off of his shoulder, his blue hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. His polished shoes hit the pavement quickly, hurrying to his destination. His blue eyes were hidden behind sunglasses as he eyed the glassed storefront at the end of the block.

"Good morning, Mr. Kalina, my Tangela feels so much better after our session with you yesterday."

Jim nodded; his pace slowly slightly. "I'm glad to hear I was able to help you out. Please, do stop by our shop again."

The woman nodded, used to his distant personality, continuing on her way. He grinned inwardly as his expression remained stoic as he approached the famous beauty salon. Fishing out his key from his messenger bag, he quickly unlocked the door, letting himself in.

"Pix! Vulpix!"

"Morning to you too, Vulpix," he said, spotting the fiery fox near the floor length mirrors. "You're looking good today."

"Oh, good morning Jim," Suzie said, coming around the corner. "How was your weekend?"

"Uneventful," he said with a shrug, dropping his messenger bag down onto his desk. "Just ended up watching some television, relaxed and did some sightseeing."

"Interesting, sounds fun," Suzie said, glancing in one of the mirrors as she scooped her long hair into a messy ponytail.

Jim nodded, unzipping his bag to pull out what he'd need for the day. What he's said to Suzie was true enough. He'd spent a majority of the weekend glancing at the television he had finally been able to purchase. Not to mention, the three hours he'd spent trying to hook up the television and the surround sound system the store had talked him into buying. Without a doubt, he was technologically challenged.

Upon completion of it, he had grabbed a bag of chips from the kitchen, flopping down on the used couch. Calling up the television's menu, he'd scrolled through the channels aimlessly, noticing that a majority of his channels were from Kanto and Johto with the odd one coming through from Hoenn or Sinnoh.

It hadn't taken him long to get interested in the contests that were being broadcast constantly throughout the weekend, it seemed. The Contests taking place in Mauville City in the Heonn Region did little to hold his attention as in his mind it seemed to play out as a Pokémon Battle. One trainer would come out, call out their Pokémon and their _'beautiful'_ attacks and the next would do the same. It didn't take him long to lose his attention and call the menu back up. Originally, he had curled his nose up at the thought of Sinnoh's contests, but with nothing else on, he eventfully put the channel on out of boredom.

The Contest seemed to be broadcasting from Floraroma Town, and to his surprise, it actually managed to grab his attention. The trainers would come out one by one, much like Hoenn, but they were all dressed in different outfits, all dressed to the nines. As they called out their Pokémon in showers of stars, hearts or whatever the trainer had chosen, he found himself drawn in, waiting for the judge's responses as well. He didn't know what it was; maybe it was the stylization of it that drew his attention.

"Suzie," Jim said, approaching the blue haired woman. "There's something I need to talk to you about."

"I see," Suzie said with a grin as she turned around. "What's on your mind?" she said slowly, a puzzled expression appearing on her face as she noticed his look.

Motioning for him to sit down as well, Suzie sat down on the cushioned chairs, her eyes staring intently at him. Vulpix nimbly jumped up beside Suzie, the stylist subconsciously petting her. Jim slumped down in the chair opposite her, wringing his hands together – he could just _see_ Suzy's response. He didn't know _what_ it was about the Stylist that intimidated him so.

"Well, over the weekend I was watching some Pokémon Contests –"

Suzy rolled her eyes, her nose scrunching up at the mention of the Contests. Suzy had commented numerous times as this trainer or that Contest was mentioned that dressing up a Pokémon and putting them out for show just got under her skin. It was all to make the _trainer_ – not the Pokémon – look good as the Pokémon paraded around like toys. Shaking her head, she waved her hand at Jim to continue.

"While the Hoenn Region Contests didn't capture my attention in the slightest," he said slowly, slightly unsure as he watched Suzie's face. "The Sinnoh Region did manage to. The style that the trainers had, the grace in which their Pokémon carried themselves in, it was captivating."

"What are you getting at, Jim?" she trailed off, frowning. "You know those Contests don't show the Pokémon's true nature, but just flaunt the trainers' ability to . . ." she shook her head, her lips in a harsh line.

"What I'm getting at Suzie," he said slowly, feeling her intense stare, the blue haired woman getting uptight. "Is that after seeing the Contests and styles of Sinnoh, I would like to go and study there, perhaps learn a few tricks along the way . . ."

"Hopefully not from that Paris from Hearthome City," Suzie commented dryly, crossing her arms over her chest. "That woman . . . dressing up all those Pokémon in outfits to match _her_ glitter and sparkle. That is _not_ a Pokémon's inner beauty." Suzie said her voice getting louder, as she now paced back and forth in front of the chairs. "I never thought that you'd –"

"I'm not going there for Paris," Jim said sharply, rolling his eyes. "Like I told you, I'm looking to find some new tips and inspiration. I feel that what I have been doing is starting to get repetitive," Suzie narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything, her pace slowing. "I just need to get out there on the field and see what other trainers and stylists are doing in the other Region's. I believe that the stylized Contests would be a good place to start."

Suzie nodded, stopping a couple feet before him, drumming her fingers against her arms. "If that's what you want to do," she said at length, frowning. "I'll give you three months though, got that? That's how long I will hold your job here. Take that time to go and search for whatever it is you think you need to feel complete. But, if you're _not_ back here by the end of September, you'll no longer be employed here, understand?"

Jim nodded, holding back a grin. Suzy smiled, moving towards the shop's front door, the people outside bustling to and fro, rushing to their destination. "What are you going to do with your apartment?" she wondered, stopping in front of the glass windows. "You finally got it set up the way you wanted it to be."

Jim shrugged, picking himself out of the chair, stretching her arms. "I'm renting it out to this Pokémon Photographer, Todd Snapp. He's supposed to be taking pictures of –"

"_The_ Todd Snapp?" Suzie said, blinking. "He was the only one who caught sight of an Aerodyctl a year ago. Apparently, an archeology team accidently woke one up last year, it was really hushed up and so no one really knows what happened. Maybe I'll have to take a trip to your apartment sometime and speak with him. That last photographer Vulpix and I had for _Style Times_ was unable to connect with us at all . . ." but she shook her head, turning around to unlock the front door. "Well, just enjoy your last few days here, alright?"

"Vul, Vulpix!" The fire fox called, as if to remind them of her presence.

Jim nodded, his footsteps echoing against the tiled floor as he made his way over to his section, intent on getting the products he needed for the day set up before his first client arrived. He watched Suzie out of the corner of his eyes as she unlocked the door, the wind chime on the door jingling as she opened it, calling out to someone on the street. He leaned down to scratch Vulpix's ears as she rubbed up against his legs, glancing now and again at the windows, glancing at Suzie.

The life he had built here, it was going to be _hard_ to walk away from.

But he had found himself drawn to the world outside of Hop Hop Town.

####

Anabel glanced at the clock hanging on the cafeteria wall, drumming her fingers against the tabletop. She sighed as it read ten to twelve and frowning slightly, turned to glance out the large floor length windows behind her. Pushing her short purple back, she shook her head, reaching for her now textbook-free backpack. Whipping out her cell phone – waiting around just _wasn't_ her thing – she shouldered her pack as she headed out of the cafeteria, walking the familiar path to the quad.

_Duplica and Cole should be done soon_, she thought, her footsteps echoing in the almost empty hallway.

The two, alongside the rest of Professor Poplar's Gym Class, were in the dense forest behind the school taking the Trainer and Pokémon Survival Test.

"They better have past," she mumbled to herself as she closed her cell, shoving it into her pocket. "But, if Cole doesn't pass . . . he'll _have_ to stay here and not go to . . ." she sighed trailing off. "No, that's mean to think like that."

Shaking the thought from her head as she opened the school's door, her eyes narrowing as the sun shone down on her. Shrugging her shoulders, she didn't want to root through her bag for her sunglasses, glancing around the open greenery. She wondered fleetingly if maybe they were already back. A few people were milling around in the quad as they waited for friends, she assumed. Who'd _want_ to hang around the school if they didn't have to?

"Oh look, here she comes now."

Anabel glanced up, her nose scrunching up as she caught sight of Giselle. The brunette sat on top of one of the many picnic tables, her friends sitting all around her, her hair catching the sun's light.

"Hello Giselle," she said none to friendly, not slowing her pace.

"Oh come now, what's with the hostilities?" she asked innocently as she leaned back on her palms to catch more sunlight. "We were just talking about you, you know. It must be karma that you're here."

"That's nice," Anabel said nonchalant, wishing she'd just stayed in the cafeteria, idly watching the seniors trying to hook their video game system up to the school's informational televisions.

"Say, where's Cole?" Giselle asked, a huge grin on her features as Anabel jumped, lost in thought. "Bianca here was just telling us about a party she's having at her dorm tonight before she returns to Johto for the summer. We wanted to invite him to come as well."

"Well, he's busy with Duplica and I tonight. We're having our own party."

Giselle let out a giggle, flipping her hair back as she glanced at Bianca and Neesha. "Ah yes, microwave popcorn and a cartoon movie with him and your best friend, real classy. On the other hand, we're having loud music, dancing, chips and pop. Lots more people too . . . a _real_ party."

"And let me guess," Anabel said, her tone flat. "Duplica and I aren't invited."

Giselle let out a laugh, covering it up with her hand. "Well, you're not exactly in the same social standings as us, Ana."

Anabel shook her head, mentally cursing herself for actually stopping instead of continuing on, ignoring them like she usually did. Maybe summer break would be good for one thing after all; she _wouldn't_ have to see Giselle every day. Her socially inept sister would be easier to deal with.

"Ana!"

Jumping at the loud voice, the Psychic Trainer whirled around on her heel, a scowl on her face. Her expression froze momentarily as a grin appeared instead as she caught sight of two figures coming out of the shadows of the forest.

"Hey!" she shouted, glad to have a reason to escape Giselle. "How'd the exam go?" she yelled as she picked up her pace, heading towards them.

Anabel could see Duplica's grin from where she stood, Ditto on her shoulder. Cole walked beside her, his hair an utter mess, his coat tied around his waist, Snorunt at his feet.

"It went great!" Duplica yelled when she got closer, pumping her fist into the air for emphasis. "Talk about a definite pass! Ditto and I are such a great team. Man, I am _so_ glad that we got to use our own Pokémon this time around. Cole and Aipom aren't that bad together either."

"Right," Cole grumbled, rolling his eyes. "We _were_ doing good, at least until we ran into Duplica and her Ditto – turned Kadabra and used Disable on us."

"Duplica!" Anabel chided, taking Cole's hand. "We're supposed to be your friends."

Duplica laughed awkwardly, shrugging. "Okay, so I _might_ have thought that you were Lisa and her Girafarig."

"Right, cause a Aipom looks like a _Giraffe_." Anabel said dryly as Cole shook his hand free from hers, draping his arm around her shoulders.

"Come on, let's head back to the dorm, lovebirds," Duplica said, rolling her eyes as she started ahead. "We've got lots of celebrating ahead of us before everyone takes off!" To make her point, Duplica pumped her fist into the air again.

Cole laughed, shoving the blue haired girl as him and Anabel caught up. "C'mon, we all _know_ you're dying to get back to your Imitate House."

"Hey Cole!" Giselle's voice interrupted as the three approached the picnic tables. The brunette grinned widely as she brushed imaginary dirt off of her skirt before running a pale hand through her long hair. "Did you hear about the party Bianca's having at her dorm tonight? We want to celebrate the end of school before everyone takes off. I hear that you're going off to Hoenn for the summer . . ." she winked at him, glancing momentarily at Anabel, a smirk on her features. "You know where the dorms are, Cole. You should definitely stop by."

"Huh, well, it sounds like a good time," Cole said evenly, not missing a beat. He noticed the grin that appeared on Giselle's face at his words. "But, I've already made plans for the night with my girl's here. It's going to have to be another time, Giselle."

Giselle's grin disappeared, a scowl appearing on her features. She tried to force a smile as she flipped her hair back. Anabel, on the other hand, hid a slight laugh behind her hand as she reached up, lacing her fingers with Cole's. "See you next year then, Giselle."

Duplica let out a loud laugh, winking at the small group on the picnic table. "Have a good party then, 'elle!"

"So, what do you guys want to do next?" Cole asked as they crossed the quad, the picnic table out of earshot. "I still think that we should go to the arcade."

"Hey, we already went over this," Anabel said, shooting him a look as they left the school's quad, the parking lot before them. "We're going to the movies – and _no_ worries, it won't be that new Wigglytuff one . . ."

"Good," Cole said, shaking his head. "That was the longest two hours ever. But, as long as I get a say this time –"

"No way," Duplica said, draping an arm around Anabel's shoulders, throwing a smirk over at Cole. "It's two against one, you know that."

####

Willow sighed, pushing her bangs back before clasping her knees, bent over. She grinned to herself as she noticed the silhouette of the lighthouse falling over her, the large structure looming on the cliff overhead. A fence staked off the area as if to ward off visitors.

Willow rolled her eyes at that; apparently it _wasn't_ good enough to keep Team Rocket out.

_Made it_, she thought to herself idly, as she straightened up, shaking her head.

She had gotten lucky, as upon her arrival in Garage C, yet another helicopter was heading out to Hoenn, something happening off the coast of Mossdeep City. Grateful, as the helicopter would be quicker, she found herself in Kanto, an hour later. She found herself dumped off outside of a small fisherman's village located between Cerulean and Vermillion City. With a map in hand that she had bought at the local Poke Mart, she had to find her way to the lighthouse on her own.

"Well, we finally made it here, Azurill," she said, smiling down at the water type.

"Azur!" It chirped, its tail bobbing with each movement.

Giggling slightly, Willow squinted her eyes as she glanced up at the lighthouse, the sun directly behind it. Shaking her head, she brought her hand to her forehead in order to shield her eyes, her feet crunching on the gravel underfoot. As she approached the gates, her steps slowed to a stop, a frown appearing on her features.

"Um . . . what now?" she mumbled, glancing from the tall fence in front of her to Azurill, its large eyes looking back at her. "There's got to be some way . . . Misha must have contacted him already."

Her eyes narrowed, she scanned the fence before her intently, letting out a sigh moments later. Her cerulean eyes scanned the area, a small smile appearing on her features as she caught sight of a small intercom a couple feet away, the device blending in with the rest of the gate.

"This really makes you want to visit him," she mumbled as she approached the device, reaching out and pressing the button. "No wonder he's got no –"

"Hello?" The intercom crackled to life. "What do you want?"

_Real friendly guy,_ she thought fleetingly.

"Um, yes," Willow said, fidgeting. "I'm part of the Pokémon Ranger faction, Misha Varsa sent me –"

"Yes, yes, come on in," he said, cutting her off.

Willow frowned, her hands tightening into fists as he cut her off, the gate buzzing open as the intercom shut off. "This is going to be _horrible_ isn't it, Azurill?" she laughed, leaning down to pick the small Pokémon up. "He seems oh _so_ friendly."

Azurill chattered away as Willow let out a laugh, trying to keep her comments to herself. Looking around her surroundings, the sea breeze rustled through the grass as the lighthouse loomed overhead. Letting out a sigh at the prospect of working with _the_ Bill Adams, suddenly the idea of working at a coastline lighthouse rescuing a Pokémon didn't seem so intriguing. Lost in her thoughts, she found herself at the foot of the lighthouse before she noticed, the shadow falling over her, the door before her.

Unsure, she knocked on the door, a _"come in"_ sounding off from within moments later. Nodding to herself, Willow tentatively opened the door, unsure why she was suddenly intimidated. Slipping inside, the door closed soundly behind her – and effectively shutting out all light – she blinked rapidly, her eye sight adjusting.

The lighthouse's foyer was large and practically empty, the pillars on the left and right of her spiraled up and out of sight. Lit candlesticks were attached to the pillars, giving off a dramatic look. The tiled floor gave way to a raised platform closer to the back, a stairwell heading up along the wall, disappearing from view.

"I'm glad you could come as quick as you did," a voice said, interrupting her thoughts. "I wasn't sure if Miss. Varsa would be sending someone, it's been a while since I asked for her help."

Willow glanced up at the voice, footsteps echoing through the wide space as he appeared from a side room. Dressed in her standard Ranger outfit, Willow suddenly felt out of place in the large foyer, the posh researcher before her. His white lab coat made him look impressive, his brown hair was pulled away from his face, and his clothes nearly wrinkle free as he approached Willow, his black shoes catching the light.

"Yes, Miss. Varsa briefed me on your current situation," Willow said, remembering what the others' always said, not giving too much about headquarters away. "My name is –"

"I – it _can't_ be," he mumbled, his voice echoing slightly in the large place, interrupting her once again. Willow narrowed her eyes, what was with this guy and interrupting people all the time? If he did this all the time, he wouldn't _need_ a fence to keep people away. "It's that we . . . everyone thought you'd _died_ . . ."

Willow took a step back, raising her eyebrow, a wary expression on her face. Azurill, sensing Willow's confusion, glanced from her to Bill and back again, its tail bobbing against her leg. "What are you . . .?"

"You look so much like a girl that I used to know," Bill shook his head. "Her name was Misty Williams, but she . . ."

Willow tuned him out.

"_Like what's this, Misty?" The blonde haired woman from her imagination said. "Is that your boyfriend?"_

_She was talking about the black haired youth with the trademarked red hat standing off to the side._

"_As if," She shouted, rolling her eyes as she placed her hands on her hips. "He owes me a bike!"_

"Hold on a second there," Willow said, holding a hand out, unsure if Bill was finished speaking yet or not. "_Why_ do you think I'm this person?"

Bill took a step back, looking critically at the red haired woman before him. "Perhaps I am mistaken. She had the same hair colour as yourself, you see. If you could just follow me for a moment, if you don't mind, we can get to business in a moment."

"I have the same hair colour," Willow said dryly, as she followed after Bill slowly. "That's kind of lame, you know. Now, if you have nothing else to say about the matter I arrived for, I should probably check out the coastline."

"One moment," Bill said again, his commanding tone stopping Willow in her tracks. "Team Rocket rarely appears during the daytime, they tend to work better under the cover of darkness. You can check out the area and get a feeling for this place in a moment. This will only take a moment. Now, come this way, Willow."

Willow narrowed her eyes, but sighing in defeat, followed after him. She watched him warily as they made their way down the hallway, Bill disappearing around a corner. Her mind whirled as she tried to wrap her head around his words, her feet echoed off the tiled floor.

"Willow . . ." he paused, glancing over his shoulder. "Where are you from?"

"Almia," she responded immediately. "It's way North East of here."

"I see and before that?" Bill asked, pulling a keycard out of his pocket, slipping the card through a device on the wall.

"Before that . . ." Willow trailed off, her mouth in a hard line as she glanced at the ceiling overhead. "I was in . . ."

Was it Sinnoh? No, was it Kanto?

Or maybe it was somewhere further away like Hoenn?

"I see," Bill said, a grin on his features as the door closed behind them. Willow scowled, wishing she could wipe that expression from his face. "Well, I think that you might find some of these interesting," Bill said, motioning to the picture frames. "Come over here, will you?" he added, noticing Willow standing feet away, hands now shoved in her pockets, Azurill at her feet.

Slowly, curiousity getting the better of her, she nodded slowly, ruefully coming over to Bill. Stopping before him, she glanced at the picture frames that littered the wall. For someone who seemed so reclusive, she wouldn't have thought he'd know _this_ maybe people.

"Someone really likes their pictures," she mumbled with a shake of her head, losing count of the photos.

"Misty was here once before with her friends a little over a year ago," Bill said, not commenting on Willow's words as he glanced at her. "They were actually helping me out momentarily with the same problem. If only it wasn't for Team Rocket . . ." he shook his head, trailing off.

"A year ago . . ." she mumbled, looking back at the photos littering the wall. A frown marred her features, her eyebrows coming together. "A . . . Kabuto . . ."

"Yes, that's – wait," Bill stopped, a surprised look on his features as he looked at the red head. "How do you know about that?"

"It just came to me . . ." Willow said slowly.

Bill nodded, recovering quickly. "Ah, here it is," he said, finding the picture he was looking for, tapping the frame. "This is Misty here and her travelling companions."

Willow shook her head, following his gaze up to the photos. Her eyes widened as she blinked rapidly taking in the three people in the picture. Unconsciously, she took a step closer to the frame, standing up on her toes to get a better view, the lights glaring against the glass.

The photo had been taken in the same foyer that Willow had entered through moments previous. _Not much seemed to have changed,_ she thought idly, shrugging it off. She drew her attention to the occupants of the picture. The girl, Misty, stood in the center of the photo, a grin on her features, her hands resting on her hips. Her red hair – a similar shade of Willow's, it might have been a bit lighter – was scooped hastily into a side ponytail.

"It's . . ."

The two standing beside Misty is what made her pause, her body freezing momentarily. Just like the images that had drifted into her mind over the past year was the dark haired teen with the red hat and the tanned brunette. Willow blinked, her mouth opening and closing, words ultimately failing her.

There was _no_ way this was real . . .

She noticed a Pikachu on the dark haired teen's shoulders, the boy unaware of the photo being taken. She shook her head slightly, the picture bringing back a buried memory . . .

It was on the tip of her tongue.

"Ah yes, Ash and Brock. The two of them sure had a way with Pokémon . . ."

Willow tuned out Bill's words as she looked intently at the photo, lost in her own thoughts.

"_Hey, it's a Pikachu. Is it hurt?"_

"_I'm borrowing your bike – I'll bring it back someday!"_

"_Look at what you did to my bike! You . . ."_

"My bike . . ." she mumbled ruefully, shaking her head in disbelief. "It doesn't even . . . _where_ are they now?" She said, her voice growing louder as she whirled around on her heel to stare Bill in the eyes.

Bill was silent for a moment, a range of emotions playing across his face in those few seconds. "Mist . . . no, Willow, they're no longer," he paused, trying to find the right words. "They were aboard the St. Anne when it sunk off of the Vermillion City harbour a year ago," he said slowly. "They didn't make it off the ship. Unfortunately, they _past_ away . . ."

"But," Willow took a step back, instantly refusing the words. Images flashed through her head quickly, disappearing quickly the next moment. "That . . . _can't_ be . . . there was a . . . a Gyardos."

"A Gyardos?"

Willow shook her head, running a hand over her face, unsure what was bringing those words to her lips. "Wait a second . . . are these . . .?"

Bill shook his head, breaking his concentration on the red head before him. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he glanced over at what Willow was pointing at, the photo frame catching the light. He nodded without even seeing the photo hanging above the one before Misty, Ash and Brock. "Ah yes," he said with a nod. "Those would be Misty's three older sisters; the _fabulous_ Waterflower sisters, Lily, Violet and –"

". . . Daisy."

Bill stopped midsentence, his eyes widening slightly, unconsciously taking a step back. "Yes," he said slowly. "She's the oldest of the Cerulean sisters. They haven't been the same since the fiasco. They only started doing their shows again about three months ago. Oh, it's an Underwater Ballet," he supplied, noting the confused look setting in on Willow's face. "Yes, Misty wore the same look as yours when it was brought up," he added with a laugh. "They're having a performance tomorrow afternoon, you know? You should really go and see it."

Willow nodded slowly, taking in his words. "An Underwater Play," she mumbled to herself, the words familiar on her tongue. "But, I have my job to complete here," she settled on saying, pushing it away.

"Yes, yes," Bill said idly, getting back on track. "Like I told you earlier, I have noticed that Team Rocket likes to appear under the cover of night. Now, go and take a walk down there and get the layout of land and decide on what your plan is for tonight. I fear that they are getting closer to the mysterious Pokémon. I worry about that poor creature. However, tomorrow you _will_ be heading out to Cerulean."

"But . . ."

"No, I'm telling you this as your employer."

Willow sighed, a frown appearing on her features as she nodded, accepting it.

She wasn't _supposed_ to disagree with the clients.


	7. 007: Change of Scenery

Brock shook his head slowly, eyes closing.

Sighing, he ran a hand over his face, frowning as he glanced at the books before him.

Upon his arrival at the library, he'd immediately made his way over to the Index Catalog, looking for anything regarding the St. Anne and its sinking. Scribbling the sections down, he'd headed to the history section on the second floor. Upon picking up as many books as possible, he made his way towards the back for an empty table; covering the entire top within seconds.

"I can't believe it," he mumbled, flipping idly through the notebook before him. "It's . . ."

The _Vermillion Times_ newspaper from July of the previous year talked about the annual Pokémon Trainer cruise and the bizarre storm that had struck Route Six.

"So . . . is _this_ what you forgot?" Lucy asked tentatively, her voice cutting through Brock's thoughts.

She grinned as Brock jumped, lost in his thoughts, as she slowly approached the table. She shook her head as she came to a stop, pushing her hair back. "I thought that it was all so . . ."

"How is this –"

"Possible?" Lucy supplied, pulling out a chair before slumping down into it. "Honestly, I _don't_ know how someone could have survived an ordeal like that. They _still_ haven't managed to salvage the wreckage, you know? It sunk down so deep; no one could survive that amount of pressure."

"I . . ." Brock trailed off, his thoughts jumbled.

"Maybe you should sleep on it?" Lucy suggested after a long pause. "It must have been horrific being left under the sea to die . . . _no_ one even knowing you were there. To know that your friends . . ." she closed her eyes, propping her chin in her palm. "After a year of suppressing a memory like that . . . it _might_ take a while."

"You said that something was going on in Vermillion next week," Brock cut in, not listening to a word Lucy had said, making the dark haired girl frown.

"Yeah," she said, stretching her arms out before her. "On the weekend – well, it must only be a couple of days now – Officer Jenny and the Mayor of Vermillion are planning a . . . hey, are you okay?"

Brock was frowning, his eyes narrowed. His attention was drawn to the notebook lying open before him, Lucy noticed as he flipped through it, the pages rustling quickly. Lucy sighed, shaking her head as she stood up, the chair scraping across the floor. Brock didn't even seem to notice.

"Honestly, _what_ are you looking for?" she asked, exasperated as she leaned over the table, trying to grab his notebook.

"If it's only a couple days away –"

"The ship's heading out to Sunyshore City next before moving on to Olivine City in Johto, right? I mean, it's going to be at least a month before the ship even leaves –"

"Maybe if I talk to the captain, explain my situation," Brock muttered, ignoring the girl before him. "I might be able to get a leave for a little while, there's got to be _something_, something with my family, or . . ."

Lucy's hand balled up into fists as she shook her head, her hair falling into her eyes. "Wouldn't you have _had_ to tell him something about your life before getting a job here? I suspect someone in the captain's standings, would want to know something about your past."

Brock sighed, running a hand over his face; that frown appearing on his lips again. "Well, there has to be a . . . what is it?" he paused, raising an eyebrow.

He didn't miss the wicked grin that was starting to appear on Lucy's face as she loomed over the table, her dark hair covering her face. Her dark eyes pierced his, a light laugh leaving her lips before flopping back into her chair.

"Its quiet simple on how to get you back to Kanto," she said idly, trying to find the words. "I _come_ from Kanto to and well," she took a deep breath, tossing her hair back, an odd smile appearing on her features. "Marry me, Brock."

Brock's eyes widened, his notebook falling from his hands, his mind going blank as he looked at the woman across the table. "W – what? I hardly –"

Lucy let out a loud laugh, hiding it behind her hand at Brock's look, oblivious to the harsh stares the other library patrons shot her. "I mean, it's _not_ for real," she stage whispered, stumbling over the words. She couldn't help the blush, trying to force it down as she glanced at Brock, a strange look appearing on his features. "Yes, I know its rash; but it's one way to get you back to Kanto quickly. It's a perfect –"

"Yeah," Brock mumbled, unconvinced. "I . . . it's . . ." he shook his head, glancing down at the book scattered across the table, unaware of the blush creeping onto Lucy's cheeks.

###

Willow let out a sigh as she leaned back on her palms, staring out at the open water before her. She'd kicked her shoes off a while ago as she reached the area hours ago, her black shoes lying forgotten behind her. Azurill lay curled up beside her as the sun met with the horizon, slowly disappearing from view as the sky lit up in red and oranges. Her cerulean eyes continuously scanned her surroundings as she kept an eye out for Team Rocket. Even thought she knew that they most likely wouldn't appear till later on into the night, she _wasn't_ planning on letting anything slip by her. She curled her toes up in the sand, staring momentarily at the scenery before her.

"I just can't . . ." she shook her head in disbelief. "It's so surreal; I mean it's hard to believe." Willow let out a laugh, glancing over at her Pokémon.

"Azu?" Azurill mumbled sleepily, glancing at its' trainer. "Azu, Azurill?"

"Don't worry about it Azurill," Willow said, reaching a hand out for the water type. "After we deal with Team Rocket, we'll go back to Almia, alright?"

"Azurill, rill."

Willow let out a shaky laugh, now lying in the sand. Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, placing her hands behind her head. The clouds slowly past by overhead, the sky turning shades of brilliant colours to signify the end of the day.

"I don't know, Azurill," Willow said after a pause. "It would hard for them, wouldn't it?" she let out a sigh, her eyebrows coming together. "Bill said that happened a year ago . . . Misty _died_ in that wreckage. Imagine what her family went through . . . if someone like me with a similar face was to walk through their front door . . ."

"Azu –"

"It would _have_ to be hard on her sisters. I mean their sister _died_. If I –"

"Rill! Rill! Azurill!"

Willow shook her head, throwing an arm over her eyes, letting out a sigh. If she kept thinking like this, she just _knew_ she was going to get a headache. Meanwhile, Azurill glanced around its surroundings, its eyes widening as its ears moved quickly, listening intently.

"Azurill," it said again, bopping Willow with its tail. "Azu!"

"Stop that Azurill," Willow mumbled, shooing the tail away. "Not right –"

"Azurill!"

"What . . .?" Willow mumbled, dropping her arm back down to her side, giving the Pokémon a sideways look. "Wait . . . do you _hear_ something?"

Narrowing her Cerulean eyes, Willow dug her fingers into the sand, glancing around her surroundings. With quick movements, Willow picked herself up off the sand, unaware of the sand sticking to her legs and arms. Crouching in the sand, Azurill beside her, she took in her surroundings, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

She _should_ have known better then to let her problems take priority now.

Her eyes strained for any sound as she inwardly cursed herself, the training the others had given her whirling around her mind.

"That Dragonite will be here somewhere, what with the researcher still milling around here."

"Wasn't he a scientist?" Another voice broke in, his tone louder.

"Shut up," the female's voice snapped. "It doesn't matter, Butch. Giovanni wants that Dragonite."

"Come on Azurill," Willow whispered, still crouching as she moved forward. "We've got work to do."

"Azu," it mumbled, following after Willow, its tail bobbing with each movement.

Willow moved silently across the sand, keeping as close as she could to the shadows. She followed the two whispering, and sometimes bickering, duo as she moved through the shadows like a wraith. Once and a while she'd glance over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes at the footprints left in the sand.

She shook her head – Bill had said that it was small group here anyway – so there was only a _small _chance of someone being behind her. Her eyes strained to hear the duo's low voices above her, a frown appearing on her features at their silence.

"It's got to be around here somewhere," the female's voice eventually said, hardly making a sound. "It would have to still be here, our Intel has been right so far."

Idly, Willow wondered who they got their information from.

She sighed as she pushed her hair back before brushing her hands against her pants, knocking the grains of sand away. Crouching down, she held out her hands to Azurill, picking up the small water type as she dropped her backpack to the ground. Grinning at the tiny Pokémon, she unzipped the bag, dropping Azurill lightly into it.

"We've got a bit of a climb here," she whispered, half zipping up the backpack before shouldering it once again.

Turning on her heel, she frowned, placing her hands on her hips as she looked at the rugged coastline before her. Stretching her arms out, she hastily tied her hair into her customary ponytail – she _didn't_ have time for it to get in her away. Nodding to herself, she moved closer to the rocky cliff, running her hands across its surface, testing it to see how sturdy it was before hoisting herself up.

Reaching forward for the next ledge as her feet left the sandy beach, she paused as she heard a _familiar_ tune. It sounded very melodic, and haunting at the same time, with the now darkened horizon behind her, the water lapping silently against the beach. The lighthouse was way above her heads, casting a single light into the dark night.

_It was a sparkling blue Ocean; the water glinted in the sunlight. She was on her way from Cerulean City, she was _glad_ to be out of the bustling city. No matter what her nameless companions said, she didn't want to spend anymore time there._

_There was a creepy lighthouse looming above them, casting its massive shadow over them. After ringing the doorbell – did it sound ominous or what? – Willow found herself inside the dusty interior, a mysterious, seemingly bodiless voice calling out to them. _

_There was a Kabuto costume with the bodiless voice coming from within. Later, at the sound of the mysterious Pokémon's haunting cry; the lighthouse's light changed colour, signifying their response._

_It was time, they had commented at the time. _

_As someone attacked from below, the mysterious Pokémon disappeared into the night, leaving its waiting friend standing at the lighthouse._

"Dragonite . . ." Willow whispered, biting down on her lip. "This isn't . . ." she shook her head, shaking off her stupor as she picked up her pace, her mind whirling.

###

"Now, are you _sure_ you have everything?" Erika asked, shouldering her purse, her keys jingling within.

Cole shook his head, a grin appearing on his face as she asked the question once again. "I'm fine, really Erika," he laughed, pulling his bag from the car. "I have it all here – how many times did you check my bag last night?"

"Touché," Erika mumbled, ushering Cole forward.

The Celadon City's massive train station stood before them, its heavy automatic glass doors opening up for them as they ascended the small staircase. The floor was tiled in a dull off white, stretching out in all directions, a monotone voice echoing through the large station. People milled about, heading in all directions, their suitcases trailing along behind them. A loud hum seemed to be present with so many conversations taking place at the same time alongside the sound of all the trains coming and going, which made Cole roll his eyes.

"I want you to call me as soon as you reach Littleroot Town, alright? Professor Birch is –"

"I _know_," Cole interrupted with a frown. "I'll be fine Erika, I always have been. I was fine before I met you . . ."

"Oh come on," Erika said, rolling her eyes. "You were sitting alone on a park bench in the middle of the night. But yeah, I'd say that you were definitely fine . . ."

"I mean before that," Cole shrugged, glancing at the tiled floor beneath them. "I must have been alright. I was surviving . . ."

Erika frowned, shoving her hands into her windbreaker. "I suppose . . . hey, it looks like Anabel and Duplica are here too."

Cole raised an eyebrow as he followed Erika's gaze to find the two girls. Anabel and Duplica were a little ways down from them, leaning against one of the station's many pillars. Anabel had her back turned towards them, her backpack resting at her feet, her cell phone in hand. The rest of her luggage was on a trolley beside the pillar, littered with hers and Duplica's belongings. Duplica was, for once, without her Ditto anywhere in sight, although, as Cole got closer, he could see the Poke ball in her hand. Anabel shook her head at something Duplica said, the blue haired girl letting out a laugh, throwing her head back.

"You should invite Anabel along," Erika suggested, glancing from Cole to Anabel, a sly grin on her face. "Hey, it's not like the girls' going to be doing anything this summer –"

"I need to solve some things, personal things," he clarified. "If Anabel's there . . ." he trailed off, biting down on his lip.

Erika nodded slightly, her pace slowing as she watched Cole head towards the two. She bit down on her lip as she watched him, knowing something was wrong. She had wondered what had brought him to the Celadon Park a year previous, with _no_ memories of the past. As she watched him approach the two girls, Duplica nudging Anabel, pointing towards Cole, Erika couldn't shake the feeling that _everything_ would be different in August.

She couldn't explain it, but _something_ was going to happen . . .

All she knew was that no matter how hard Cole tried to act, he **was** hiding something.

"Cole!" Anabel shouted as she turned on her foot, unaware of the glances people sent her way. "We thought we were going to miss you," Anabel said, hands on her hips as Cole stopped in front of them.

"Oh Anabel," Erika said, shaking her head, winking slightly at her. The light blush appearing on Anabel's face didn't escape her sight either. "You should know me better then that – I'd get Cole here on time. No sleeping in today, right?" she said, playfully nudging Cole.

Cole rolled his eyes, pushing Erika back. "Yeah . . . _who'd_ want to sleep in on break?"

"But, you were the one who wanted to go on this adventure," Erika laughed, sticking her tongue out at him.

Anabel grinned at the banter between the two. "I know Erika, but you know these trains . . ."

"_The train to Olivine City in the Johto Region will be leaving from Gate Thirteen in ten minutes. That's the eight thirty five train to Olivine City is leaving in ten minutes from Gate thirteen."_

"I guess this is it, huh?" Anabel sighed, her hand finding its way into Cole's.

He nodded at her words, catching sight of Erika grabbing Duplica's arm, pulling the blue haired girl away to give them a moment to themselves. "It's only for two months, Ana. I'll call you from Littleroot Town as soon as I get there, okay? I'll call you from the road too –"

Anabel frowned, her shoulder's slumping. "I just don't understand why I can't come too! I could help you out! I'm better at sorting out through information then you are – yes, I've seen your notes, they made no sense – and quiet honestly, you're not that good with a map. I can –"

"I already told you, there's some things I need to look after," Cole said, holding her gaze momentarily. "It's something that I have to do on my own," he clarified, seeing that familiar look on Anabel's face. "I'll be back in Kanto before you know it; I'll come visit you in Saffron City the second I get back, alright? I'm supposed to be back a couple weeks before school restarts."

"Fine," Anabel shrugged, intertwining her fingers with his, standing up on her toes. "I expect to hear from you, got that? If I don't, I know where I can find you," she giggled, throwing him a wink.

"Did Duplica tell you to say that?" he said, untangling a hand from hers, ruffling her short hair.

"Maybe," she said coyly, kissing him lightly. "You're going to be late though, Gate Thirteen's pretty much at the other end of the station. I'll see you in a little while then," she grinned, stepping back, clasping her hands behind her back. "Have a good trip."

"I will," Cole replied, a smile appearing on her features. "I'll call you later tonight," he said, lightly kissing Anabel.

Anabel nodded, watching as Cole picked up his backpack, tossing the large pack over his shoulder. Duplica, on the other hand, shook her head as she walked back, dropping an arm around Anabel's shoulders. "Awe, they're so grown up when they leave on their own . . ."

"Knock it off," Anabel grumbled, swatting Duplica's arm away. "It's not fair."

"I know," Duplica grinned, winking at Anabel. "I mean Cole's going to miss the _entire_ summer – just think of everything he's going to miss! While you and I are off having all kinds of fun at the movies, sleepovers or whatever we decide to do – and he's going to be sitting in Hoenn, alone in some boring forest wishing he was here. Now c'mon, Gate Two's this way."

Anabel nodded glumly, grabbing the handle of her suitcase, glancing over her shoulder at the two retreating figures. Shaking her head though, she followed after Duplica, her suitcase trailing along behind her. "I guess you're right." she said as she caught Duplica's eye.

"Good!" she chirped, her pigtails bobbing with each movement. "I don't want you to be depressed all vacation! We finally have time without boys, Giselle or homework weighing up down."

Anabel laughed at Duplica's enthusiasm as she whirled around on her heel, leading the way as she talked a mile a minute. With Duplica's back to her, she couldn't help it as her smile slowly slipped into a frown, her mind miles away.

She didn't like seeing Cole off like that, heading out on his own so he could prove something.

Anabel couldn't explain it, but something was telling her this was _wrong_.

Something was going to happen . . . things _weren't_ going to be the same after this . . .

"Ana, hurry it up!" Duplica yelled from a few feet away, tapping her foot impatiently as she leaned against her luggage. "Vacation starts now!"

###

In the darkness of her room, the occupant ran a brush through her messy hair before tossing it into the open bag on her bed. Shaking her head, she tossed her flashlight onto her bed, the small light casting a _slightly_ wider light across the room. Her eyes glanced at her shadowy image in the mirror as she jammed her worn green beanie onto her head, clipping the arm of her sunglasses onto her tank tap. Nodding at her reflection, she turned on her feel, making a grab for her traveling bag.

"Change of clothes . . . pajama's . . . check," Melody mumbled to herself, pulling the drawstring bag shut. "I guess . . . this is . . . everything." she said slowly, glancing around the dark room once again.

She'd tossed her favourite clothes into her bag and other non-essentials like her hair brush and CD collection and walkman – were, naturally, crammed on top. Not noticing anything else she needed – her room was way too cluttered, she'd realized – as she picked the flashlight up from her bed, turning it off.

She sighed as she dropped it onto her dresser, shouldering her canvas bag. "I guess . . . my time's up . . ." she whispered to herself as she crossed the room, the floor creaking underfoot.

"I can't believe it," she mumbled as she eased open her bedroom door, hoping it wouldn't creak like it usually did. "I _never_ thought I'd be the one getting forced out of my home."

Letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding, she silently slipped through the opening but couldn't help glaring at the closed door before her. She rolled her eyes as she let out a huff as she started down the hallway, grumbling about the red haired woman living in their house.

Naturally, after returning from the dock that day earlier in the week, Jessilina had made good on her thoughts. She had found Samantha in the small kitchen and pulling out a chair, told Samantha the idea she'd already told Melody about. Melody shook her head as Samantha leaned against the counter, listening intently. It wasn't long after that that Elder Terrance was brought in, and after listening to Jessilina's suggestion, agreed with it as well.

"I can't believe it," Melody had grumbled later that night, staring out into the dark night.

Jessilina sure seemed to have everyone wrapped around her fingers.

Three nights ago, Jessilina's co-host Danny had arrived on the ferry from Trovita Island in order to see the preparations and speak with both Samantha and Terrance. The day after that, the producers of their morning show and some staff had shown up. The arrival of them made Melody sigh and wonder _why_ the Elder's were doing this.

The producers spent most of their time walking around the Island, taking in the landscape and talking about locations to have Jessilina and Danny standing in throughout the weekend. They seemed to thoroughly enjoying being the only outsiders allowed to film the festival while the camera crews were at work setting up the equipment. Melody was surprised to see Jessilina pitching in, sort of anyway – Melody assumed she was just there because Danny was.

The two were the talk of the Island – _the Morning Island! _talk show was going to be apart of the celebration. The buzz only seemed to grow stronger as a small plateau was constructed overnight and set up in the middle of town. The signature elegant canopy hanging elaborately over the posh black chairs was hard to miss.

The trainer – a spunky Johto Region trainer with a Beedrill – had arrived by boat the night previous. Unfortunately for the trainer who had chosen to visit the Island, unlike the previous years, the townsfolk were more interested in the talk shows personnel then they were the actual trainer; which, in Melody's eyes, was the point of the whole festival. It was supposed to signify the relationship between people and Trainers.

It was evident to Melody – and the trainer, who stood around forgotten – a majority of the town didn't even _know_ the trainers name. Sadly, Melody had to group herself in with the majority.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Melody paused briefly, letting out a sigh a moment later as she heard no sounds from the floor above. Nodding to herself, she tiptoed into the kitchen pulling a note out of her jean pockets. A frown appeared on her features as she dropped it onto the kitchen table, a puzzled expression appearing on her lips. Shaking her head, she turned on her heel, trying to dispel the thoughts. Moving quickly down the hallway, she paused momentarily to slip into her worn sandals, tossing a pair of shoes into her bag.

"Karol's going to kill me," she mumbled with a shake of her head.

Her lips formed a tight line at the thought of her sister; she could imagine the look on her sisters' face. Closing her eyes momentarily, she pushed the thoughts away as she reached out, pulling the key ring off the small rack behind the door. Biting down on her lip, she placed the key ring around her belt loop, glancing over her shoulder.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for now," she whispered.

She frowned as she glanced around the empty kitchen, the shadows stretching across the tiled floor. Closing her eyes momentarily, her hand on the doorknob, she shook her head as she slowly opened the door. The night air rushed in through the new opening, sending the warm breeze into the small mudroom, shaking Melody out of her stupor.

Shoving her hat further down her head, she grabbed her windbreaker hanging on the pegs beside the door, before closing the door behind her. Nodding as she heard the lock click shut, she started down the pathway of the lawn, fumbling as she tried to shrug into her coat and carry her bag at the same time.

Scanning her surroundings, she couldn't help but sigh at the emptiness of the street. One by one the streetlights were starting to dim as the horizon held a touch of colour, the sun close to rising once again.

"Got to hurry then," she muttered as she picked up her pace, her sandals hitting the sidewalk roughly. "The morning market will be opening soon . . ."

Her luck would be that the market would open early – things rarely went her way.

She didn't want any witnesses or questions that could slow her down or end up tipping Karol off when she came looking for her.

The _last_ thing she needed was them coming after her.

She picked up her pace as the street wound its way down towards the small harbour. She grinned as the sea breeze began to assault her senses, rustling her long brown hair, her footsteps hitting the pebbled beach before turning into the wooden docks. Her eyes were locked on the boat docked at the end.

"Beat them," she mumbled to herself, as she jumped lithely onto the rocking boat.

As the morning market had yet to open, it seemed that fate was _finally_ on her side.

She grinned to herself as she made her way across the deck of the boat. "Karol's going to be _so_ mad . . ." she mumbled to herself as she grabbed the rungs of the small ladder, the steering wheel on the platform overhead.

_She can kill me later_, Melody thought with a shake of her head, the keys jangling from her belt loop.

###

Jim glanced idly out the airplane's windows as the seatbelt light came on overhead once again, the plane starting its descent. The arm of his sunglasses was tucked into his shirt and as he caught sight of the high-rise buildings littering Jubilife City he reached for the glasses, slipping them on. He leaned back in his chair, unconsciously smoothing out the folds in his shirt.

"We will be landing in the beautiful metropolis of Jubilife City in the Sinnoh Region momentarily. We would like to take this time to thank you all for choosing to fly with Kanto Air."

Jim cast a glance out the window once again, the high-rise buildings reaching out the vast sky overhead. Having spent the past five hours either standing in the airport or being in the plane, he couldn't help but drum his fingers against the armrest, impatient for the plane to land.

Letting his mind wander, a frown marred his features as he thought idly of what he had left behind in Hip Hop Town. He knew that Suzy had been impressed with his choice to move to Sinnoh. No matter how harsh her words had tried to hide her thoughts, the truth had been written across her face.

When deep in thought, Suzy had the tendency to purse her lips in a tight line as she mulled the words over, her eyebrows raising moments later. She'd shove her hands into her pockets only to push her blue hair back moments later, her hands resting on her hips instead. Suzy would then either shift her weight from one foot to another or cross her legs, if she was sitting down. Her foot would tap impatiently as she thought it over, her hands always finding Vulpix's fur, petting her subconsciously. Jim had worked with the Stylist long enough to understand her small ticks.

Suzy didn't understand his reasoning behind it – neither did he, to be honest – but something _told_ him Sinnoh might . . .

He shook his head.

There was no point in thinking about it now.

"– Kanto Air – have a nice journey through the scenic Sinnoh Region."

Jim blinked a couple times as he caught the end of the attendant's speech, to lost in his own thoughts. Shaking off his stupor, he unbuckled his belt, following after the other occupants before him, stopping to reach for his briefcase in overhead compartment. His shoes hit the metallic floor underfoot as he followed after the other occupants making their way out of the airplane and down the ramp leading to the port.

Half an hour later, after making his way through customs and baggage check, he found himself making his way through the automatic doors opening for him, the bustling city before him. Deciding to check out the city first to get his bearings – he found himself vaguely familiar with the layout of the city. Before he knew it, he had weaved his way effortlessly through the city and found himself standing in front of the Pokémon Center, a high-rise inn beside it.

The Center's door whirled open with a familiar tune as the Stylist approached, perching his sunglasses once again atop his head. His cool eyes glanced around the small Center; Nurse Joy and her Chansey's were moving this way and that, while a majority of the trainers were situated to the left. He noticed a television screen had been mounted onto the wall; the commentator on screen was speaking about the stage behind her as the camera flashed momentarily to three judges before returning to the commentator.

He smiled lightly to himself as he made his way over to the couched area, his eyes intent on the screen. Finding an empty spot on the couch no one was using, he flopped down into it, crossing his arms over his chest as he looked at the screen.

The camera panned away from the commentator to the colourful Contest stage behind her. The lights dimmed on the audience as the spotlights on the stage lit up, a trainer appearing from behind the pink curtain.

"And first up we have Dawn Diamond from Twinleaf Town."

Jim tried to remain unexpressive as he watched – something he was used to doing in his trade – the blue haired trainer ran out on stage, throwing her Poke ball high into the air. In a shower of falling stars, her Piplup and Pachirisu appeared, both momentarily striking a pose.

As he watched the girl call out to her Pokémon, his expression slipped, a slight frown appearing on his features. He might not have had a lot of experience when it came to Contests, but he knew enough about effectively showing off the Pokémon's inner _and_ outer beauty.

He couldn't put his finger on it yet, but something was off.

In his opinion, Dawn Diamond was _missing_ the mark completely.

Narrowing his eyes slightly as he bit down on his bottom lip, he glanced over the happy girl on screen. Jim found his eyes drawn immediately to her pigtails and the pink pompom hair ties she had used to tie them up. He figured she'd been trying to coordinate her hair ties with her dress, but something was _missing_. While the dress looked good on its own, she seemed to be overdoing it.

Inwardly rolling his eyes, he glanced at her Pokémon moving quickly across the stage, doing what she bided. In his expertise, Jim found that her whole appeal was _off_, that something was missing. The moves she had her Pokémon doing seemed to be conflict with one another, as if the two were competing against one another for attention. He assumed that Dawn wasn't even aware of this, he thought as he glanced at her. He shook his head minutely, her costume adding another element to her appeal. Casting a glance at the trainers around him, he wondered what their opinion of Dawn Diamond was.

A few moments later when her appeal was done, the camera had returned to the commentator in the far corner, quickly stating something before introducing the next trainer.

As the contest moved along, Jim found himself intently watching the other trainers. They seemed to meld into the back of the stage, wanting people to focus on their Pokémon instead of themselves. Their Pokémon seemed to work well together, their moves complementing each other as the made use of the large stage.

Later, with the first round complete, the lights above the audience turning on once again, drawing attention away from the platform stage. The commentator Lillian had taken center stage once again, her voice booming loudly through the speakers. She spoke confidently, praising the trainers that had competed and told the crowd that the second round would begin in the next few minutes.

With a flourish, she pointed up at the large screen behind her, the screen switching from broadcasting Lillian to a plain screen. At the top of the screen, _Second Round_ was scrawled and as Lillian spoke, pictures appeared one by one.

Jim nodded to himself as the trainer's photos appeared on the large screen, agreeing with the judge's decision. From what he had seen in the appeal round, he knew that the battle appeal round would be just as interesting. As the last trainer's photo appeared on the screen, he wasn't surprised to find that Dawn Diamond had _not_ made it to the next round.

Frowning slightly, his mind running a mile a minute, he leaned over, tapping the brunette beside him. "I missed the beginning; can you tell me where this Contest is taking place?"

The girl looked over momentarily, her gaze intent on the screen. "I believe it's in Hearthome City."

_Heathrome City_ . . . he shook his head.

The name sounded familiar.

Pressing his lips together, he pushed himself up from the couch, mumbling thanks to the trainer who was no longer listening to him. Deep in thought, he made his way out of the Center to the bustling streets, the high-rise inn next door.

He shook his head slightly as he glanced at the posh exterior of the inn, his mind on what he had just seen going on in Hearthome City. Running a hand through his blue hair, he turned on his heel, away from the inn. As much as he _wanted_ to sleep – jet lag starting to catch up with him – he had something else on his mind entirely.

Maneuvering his way through the labyrinth of city streets, Jim still not quiet sure _how_ he knew subconsciously where he was going, he found the Pokémon Mart with little trouble. With only a Kanto map in his possession, he picked up a map for Sinnoh and some packed snacks from the shelves for himself and his Pokémon.

With the bustling Jubilife City behind him and the road sign stating the Eterna City was just ahead, Jim sighed unfolding his newly purchased map. Leaning against the worn sign, he glanced at the black letters stating _Eterna Forest_, his eyes following the quickest way to Heathrome City.

"At least I'm starting out early," he muttered ruefully, his watch now saying it was eleven thirty am, Sinnoh time. "I've got at least another couple hours . . ."

From what he had seen from the few Contests he'd watched in the comfort of his living room, he knew that the battle appeal round could take some time. With twelve trainers making it through to the next round, and a half an hour intermission starting when he left the Pokémon Center … he had a _little_ time to spare.

"I hope this suit doesn't get ruined," he said idly as he folded the map up, placing it in his breast pocket.

It was his favourite, he thought idly as he shifted his bag once again.

The wind rustled through the tree leaves up above his head, the long grass brushing up against his pant legs. From behind his sunglasses, he narrowed his eyes at the dense forest before him. Unzipping his messenger bag as he moved forward, he fished out the red and white Poke ball, feeling slightly bad that he kept it in his bag – but it just stood out _too_ much with his outfit.

"Mime Jr. come on out."

The small pink Pokémon appeared moments later, its purple hat slightly askew as it pivoted on its feet, glancing at its surroundings. He smiled slightly at the Pokémon's antics as it looked extravagantly around. After he had been working with Suzy for about a month, the Stylist had lent him the Pokémon after realizing that he didn't have his own.

"We've got a little bit of a walk ahead of us," Jim said, tossing the Poke ball into his bag. "We'll see Suzy and Vulpix again soon," he added, seeing the confused look on its' face.

Frowning at the forest before him – how he wished there was a quicker way to get to the next thriving metropolis – he shook his head, his feet rustling through the grass underfoot. He glanced every once and a while to his surroundings as the bushes and trees rustled in the wind.

Mime Jr. walked right beside him, surprisingly for such a small Pokémon, he managed to easily keep up with Jim's pace. All Jim found himself thinking about as he glanced at the pink Pokémon was that he had _no_ idea what Mime Jr.'s attacks were. He'd never had to worry about it, if they did leave Hip Hop Town; they'd always take the plain van Suzy had parked in the back

Suddenly, Jim realized this might not have been such a good idea after all . . .

###

A/N:

There is a reason behind my madness for all the main characters being scattered all over, within time they will be within proximity to some of the others, but some things still need to be fleshed out. At the moment, I'm unsure whether or not Iris, Cilan, and the others from the Unova Region will appear in this story as I first started thinking up this story soon after the Sinnoh Region started airing on tv; they might appear in passing as I'm slowly running out of names for characters to randomly appear through the cities and interact with the characters. Also, Pikachu and Meowth will be appearing in the next couple chapters!

Anyways, until my next update, leave a review.


	8. 008: Connections

"_What do you mean her room's empty?"_

Jessilina's eyebrows came together, a scowl appearing on her lips.

"_She left this note . . . she said she's looking for something."_

"_Well, what could she be looking for? She's never gone anywhere on her own before . . ."_

Letting out a moan, Jessilina rubbed her eyes, blinking away her sleep.

"_We should go after her. She could get in trouble."_

Mumbling to herself, Jessilina pushed herself out of the bed, slowly crossing the dark room. Pushing her long hair back – she'd been so tired the night previously that she forgot to braid it – she opened the door, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Karol, sit back down. Think rationally about it, Melody couldn't have gone very far. None of the ferries are running at the moment due to the festival starting tonight. She's somewhere on the Island, most likely at the Cove."

"This is _Melody_ we're talking about," Karol interjected, shaking her head. "That girl's too stubborn for her own good. I wouldn't be surprised if she found a way out."

_Not like she wanted to be here anyway_, Karol thought, rolling her eyes. Melody had made that point very clear.

"Melody knows what this festival means to us," Elder Samantha said, as if she'd read Karol's thoughts.

"I don't really think she cared," Jessilina said, nonchalant as she rounded the corner. "She seems so disinterested. When I see her at the docks, she seems very . . ." She shook her head. "She seems miles away, deep in thought."

Elder Samantha shook her head, shooting Jessilina a look. She had known Melody her entire life – yes, the girl seemed uninterested in the festival but she _knew_ how much it meant to them. It was tradition.

Karol, on the other hand, ran over Jessilina's words in her head. She blinked a couple times, her eyes widening as the pieces fell together. Glancing from Samantha to Jessilina, who was now standing awkwardly in the door frame, Karol suppressed a groan.

"That's it!" she said loudly, standing up quickly, her chair scraping across the floor. "Melody would . . . I got to head down to the," she shook her head. "Come on Jess, let's go."

"Hey wait – I'm not dressed yet, Karol . . ." Jessilina stumbled as Karol grabbed her arm, dragging her forward. "I'm still in pajamas."

"Here's a raincoat," Karol said idly, grabbing a coat off the pegs near the door. "Half the people here wear pajama pants, so it's no big deal." Karol shrugged indifferent, heading outside, dragging Jessilina behind her.

"Morning ladies," Danny called from Samantha's small guest house as the two appeared on the front lawn.

"Morning. We're in a hurry," Karol replied, not looking at the brunette. "There's fresh coffee in the kitchen," she added, reaching the sidewalk.

"I . . . can't . . . believe . . ."

Karol let out a laugh, catching sight of the red staining Jessilina's cheeks. "You look fine," she shrugged. "I mean, he probably didn't even notice."

"I sure _hope_ not," Jessilina fretted, looking at her clothes. "I haven't even run a brush through my hair, I'm not wearing any makeup and these pajama pants –"

Stripes just weren't her thing.

"Hey, don't knock the pants. They are mine, you know." Jessilina laughed awkwardly, running her fingers through her long hair. "By the way, I think you should just go right up to Danny and ask him out. He certainly seems to like your company, and I know you like him. . ."

"Karol!" Jessilina said, picking up her pace so she could shove her. "It's not . . ."

"Right, right," Karol said with a laugh, waving Jessilina's comments aside. "We'll just have to come back to it later then."

The road sloped underneath their feet, the beach stretching out below before them. The sun glinted in the ocean as people milled around on the docks, the Morning Market already in full swing.

"I have a sinking feeling that I know what Melody might have done," Karol mumbled as they reached the bottom of the slope, leaving them right in the middle of the Morning Market. "But _why_ would she . . ." It was irrational for her to do something like that.

"Well, what would that be?" Jessilina asked, breaking her thoughts.

"She knows boats like the back of her hand, she's spent her entire life around them," she explained, weaving her way through the crowd. "Unlike other girls her age, Melody isn't afraid to do things out of the ordinary. She gets a charge out of doing something unexpected," – here, Jessilina shook her head, forcing the comments back – "She would be the type that would run off in the middle of the night to set out on some adventure of . . . whatever."

Jessilina sighed, rolling her eyes. "You're not making any sense."

"Instead of playing with dolls and makeup, Melody was more interested in mechanics and was rarely seen without a book. Essentially, you could classify her as a tomboy, Samantha always said. So, for her thirteen birthday, she got her own set of keys for the family boat – for emergency purposes only. But she's such a wild card! It wouldn't surprise me at all if she decided to take off with the boat –"

"Honestly, that girl!" Jessilina grumbled. "No wonder we never got along, she's so . . ."

Karol let out a chuckle, their feet echoing against the wooden dock, the market behind them. "Headstrong? Yeah, she wouldn't have it any other way."

Karol let out a sigh, her footsteps slowing as they reached the end of the dock – the _**empty**_ dock. Karol's hands balled into fists and she grumbled under her breath, shaking her head. Jessilina stopped behind her, stifling a laugh as she rolled her eyes, hands on her hips.

"No way," Karol frowned, looking at the vast ocean. "Melody, you –"

"Idiot," Jessilina commented. "She's going to run aground and drown."

"Don't say that," Karol snapped, turning on her heels, her eyes narrowed. "Like it or not, Melody is my _sister_. She knows boats extremely well, that wouldn't happen to her. If she was older, she would be able to go for her license . . ."

"She doesn't have one?!" Jessilina grumbled; her nose scrunching up as she shook her head.

"She's only thirteen," Karol corrected her, throwing the red head a look. She glanced around the empty dock once more, as if Melody would return, her features hard. "She's still only a child, she can't be out there on her own . . . she's _never _been off the Island alone. This is horrible, I should really go out there after her," Karol said, now talking to herself. "She wouldn't have been able to get past Naval Island yet; there wasn't enough gas to go any further. I might be able to convince Jeremy or Pierre to lend me their boats . . ."

Jessilina sighed, shoving her hands into her coat. "That's great, but I'm not going out there looking for her, what with the festival right around the corner. I'm going back to the house."

Karol nodded, not paying the red haired girl any attention. Jessilina shook her head, rolling her eyes. Mumbling to herself, Jessilina turned on her heel, her footsteps echoing against the dock underfoot. The Festival was happening later that night, she still had a _lot_ to go over; she still wasn't all that familiar with all their traditions yet.

Sometimes, Jessilina had to wonder about the Siana sisters.

Karol's green eyes scanned the horizon intently, her mind whirling a mile a minute. She couldn't figure out _why _Melody would leave like she did, it _**wasn't**_ something she would regularly do.

"Why, Melody?" she mumbled, turning on her heel. "What made you do this?" She headed back in the direction of the Morning Market, someone would help her. "When I find you . . ."

###

Willow took a deep breath, her heart hammering in her chest as the sun beat down on her as she reached the top of the steep hill separating her from Cerulean City. Her pace slowed as she reached the top, a wary expression on her face as she saw a sign situated at the crest of the hill. A frown appeared on her features as she approached the sign, a sigh escaping her lips.

"Cerulean City . . . ten kilometers . . ." she mumbled, shaking her head. "I guess this is it. I can do it, I can do this," she chanted to herself as she picked up her pace, starting down the hill.

Upon reaching the bottom of the hill, subconsciously she found herself wringing her hands together, her eyes looking at the trail swerving before her, lost in her own thoughts. She had pondered what she would say to Misty's sisters if she did run into them, but she hadn't come up with _anything_.

Her mind kept coming back to what Bill said. If what he said was true, then . . .

Willow jerked her head up as the wind rustling through the fields suddenly came to a stop. She blinked, glancing around her surroundings. Taking a deep breath, her face feeling red as she felt her heart pumped quickly in her chest.

The dirt path she had been following had turned to cement some thirty steps back, making Willow roll her eyes at herself. How could she _not_ have noticed that? There were a few sky rise buildings noticeable in the city, but from Willow could see, it seemed like a quaint city.

Small building's lined the street, people milling around the tiny street, looking in shop window's they past. A few cars lined the street, but it seemed the majority of people were opting to walk instead. A little ways down the street, there seemed to be a picturesque square with its cobbled street, a fountain situated in the middle. Benches were placed sporadically around the fountain, a few trees and bushes located in the four corners with flowers located around the fountain. Many people were in the square, lounging on the benches while a bunch of kids and their Pokémon chased each other around.

Grinning to herself, Willow headed over towards the square, dropping her bag onto the ground moments later as she flopped down on the bench. She stretched her hands out before her, trying to clear her mind.

"I can't believe I agreed to come here," she mumbled, stretching her arms out before her.

Closing her eyes, she leaned back on her palms, allowing the sun's rays to beat down on her, her mind clearing. She tried to focus on the sound of the running water from the fountain and the yells from the little children, splashing through the fountain. She could hear the low chatter of a few Pokémon, their voices melding in with the kids' voice. For some reason, she couldn't help but smile at the chaotic sounds around her.

It was there, in the back of her mind . . .

She shook her head, frowning slightly. "Just maybe . . ."

Maybe, Bill was right . . . why else would the seaside town seem so familiar?

She hadn't even looked at her Kanto map yet, she'd realized.

"Come on out Azurill," she said, fingering the Pokeball on her belt. "There's something I have to look after."

Throwing the Pokeball out before her, the Water Type appeared with a cry of its name, its black eyes intent on Willow. The red head smiled at Azurill as she picked her bag up off the ground, shouldering it as she moved across the square once again.

A few streets down she had came across an informational booth, _convenient, _she thought, as she stopped to ask directions. She nodded idly as the guide asked her if she was a Trainer, readily giving her the simplest way to get there. Moving through the streets with a purpose now, she found herself standing in front of the Gym before she knew it. Letting out a sigh, she brought her hand to her forehead to shield the sun as she glanced up at the impressive dome.

Colourful letters adorned the building stating that it was indeed the Cerulean Gym. A large Dewgong billboard had been placed above it, its body arched as if it was jumping over the letters. The white domed roof was currently down, allowing the bright sunshine to stream inside. Slowly, she started down the worn path cutting through the grass, her eyes on the automatic door ahead. Lost in her own thoughts – an image flickering through her head – it took her a moment to notice a wooden sign not far from the fence, the Gym's hours listed there. She noticed that another paper had been tacked overtop, stating that the Underwater Play would be taking place a few times that day.

"This is it," Willow mumbled again as she moved down the path, approaching the building.

The automatic doors whirled open as she approached, the air conditioning lightly blowing out of the atrium. Willow paused in the doorway, the doors closing behind her as she glanced around. A large tank stretched out the length of the wall before her, capturing her attention. She frowned, the scenery before her not sparking any immediate memory.

"Are you here to see the show?" A voice said, breaking Willow's thoughts, a Dewgong swimming lazily in the tank.

"Ah . . . yes, yes I am," Willow stuttered, surprised as she whirled around on her heel.

"Good, you're just in time," the woman said, approaching her. "The Sensational Sisters will be on stage in five minutes time. Now, I just need to see your ticket."

Willow tried not to show her disappointment as the woman stopped before her. She was hoping it would have been one of the women from Bill's photos. "I . . . I don't have a ticket."

The green haired woman sighed, flipping her hair back. "You're going to have to be in the back row then, I'll have you know. They only started doing shows again about three months ago. Everyone in Kanto has been coming here to see the performances all week. Now, if you still want a ticket today, it will be thirty dollars."

"Right, right," Willow said idly, dropping her back to the floor, rooting through it for her wallet. "Thirty dollars, now _where_'s that wallet . . .?"

Thirty dollars sure seemed like a lot to her, _this better be worth it_, she thought idly.

###

Upon catching the connection train between Olivine City in Johto and Littleroot Town in Hoenn, Cole let out a sigh, stretching his limbs out before him. The train gradually started to slow, the train station just up ahead. Following the motions of the other passengers, Cole stood up, grabbing his traveling bag from the overhead compartment before following after them.

After relatively passing through customs fifteen minutes later, he found himself standing in the cool night air of Hoenn.

"Now, where am I supposed to . . ."

Standing bleakly out front of the train station, Cole unfolded his Hoenn map frowning. With his sense of direction messed up, he shifted the map around, trying to remember what Professor Evergreen said about knowing your directions. Moments later, he shook his head, shoving it back into his pocket.

The small town was cloaked in darkness, the streetlights casting a small amount of light. The houses were in complete darkness, no lights visible to his eyes. Remembering that Erika mentioned that Professor Birch lived near Route _, he nodded to himself as he started down the stairs into the dark night.

_It's got to be late to be knocking on people's doors,_ Cole thought idly, walking through the sleeping town.

When he had made it through customs, he had adjusted his watch to the time on the nearest clock – twelve thirty am. He shook his head; it would have only been eleven am back in Kanto. Lost in his thoughts, he blinked, jumping back as his foot connected with a wooden post. Grumbling under his breath, as he knelt down to grab his now-throbbing foot, he rolled his eyes at his stupidity.

"That would _just_ make Erika's day," he muttered ruefully. "Walking into the ocean like that . . ."

Turning on his heel, the ocean lapping against the shore below him, he glanced at the sleeping town once more, shaking his head. From this angle, he noticed the darkened lab that Erika had showed him in a photo the day previous. He wondered idly how he managed to walk right past it.

A small fence guarded the perimeter, although anyone could easily hop over it. The building seemed relatively unimpressive to him, a light on in the room on the right. A dim light was cast across the lawn, Cole noticing a Jeep sitting off to the side. The sign at the end of the foot path stated at it was Professor Birch's lab and _the beginning of your new journey_.

Cole found himself nodding; unsure of the places this journey would lead him. "Now, to get this over with," he mumbled, knowing at least someone was up.

Hopping over the fence, Cole made his way up the foot path, the light wind erupting goose bumps over his skin. Upon ringing the doorbell – the sound echoing through the house – Cole felt guilty ringing it at this hour. He wouldn't appreciate someone doing this to him. But, regardless, he found it didn't take long for the door to open.

"Why hello there," the man said, filling the doorframe. "I know the letter said to pick up your starter Pokémon in the morning, but I didn't mean this early."

Cole recognized the Professor right away from the picture Erika had shown him. He had to admit it, as much as he didn't like her fussing, Erika sent him prepared.

"No, you got it all wrong," he said, shaking his head. "My name is Cole Thompson from the Kanto Region. Erika Evans told me to –"

"Ah yes," Professor Birch said, his voice loud in the quiet night. "I wasn't expecting you this early," he continued, ushering Cole inside.

"I wanted to start out early," Cole said with a shrug as Birch closed the door behind him. "I thought Erika would have –"

"She did," Birch interrupted. "I was very busy in my research when I was speaking to her previously. However, that's in the past," he said with a shake of his head. "You arrived just in time actually. I was just finishing up my research before the new trainers arrived in the morning. That will no doubt take up a majority of my time tomorrow. Now come, the door to the house is right over here. You can call Erika from there," he said, opening a door on the left, halfway down the hallway. "The phone's around the corner and to your right. I'll be with you in a moment."

Cole nodded idly, stepping through the door. It felt strange to be wandering around in a Professor's home, he thought as he moved down the hallway. But, at the same time, it was like . . . he sighed, the words escaping him.

###

Just like Brock had expected, the Captain of the Alavanti didn't buy his reasoning's for a moment. As the Captain sat at his desk, arms crossed as he leaned back in his chair, he listened to the story with raised eyebrows, a frown slowly marring his features.

"So, you mean to tell me," he said slowly, narrowing his eyes. "That this _Lucy Harrison_ that you've spoken to once at the library – mind you, you weren't even aware she was aboard the ship – and you've magically decided you love her? I don't know what it is you're playing at here Delaney, but I'm running a tight ship here."

"I know sir," Brock said mutely.

"What I am going to do for you though, is give you two weeks leave. Everyone's been talking about how at each town you've been heading off to that library and returning late at night. I've heard you've been combing through old records, like you're trying to find something –" he shook his head. "I am giving you _two_ weeks leave, however, I expect you to meet us in Sunyshore City afterwards. If you are not there, consider yourself fired."

Brock nodded, mumbling his thanks numerous times as he picked himself out of the chair, heading towards the offices' door. His mind jumbled, he let out a sigh as the door closed behind him, momentarily closing his eyes.

And that was how Brock found himself sitting on an airplane heading from Canalave City, Sinnoh to Vermillion City, Kanto – with his pocket fifteen hundred dollars lighter, no less.

_This better be worth it_, he'd thought at the time, passing over his new credit card.

With a ten hour plane ride ahead of it, Brock settled into his seat, glancing idly out the window. With the plane setting off after what seemed like hours, Brock leaned back in his chair, stealing a glance at the woman beside him.

He didn't know what it was, but there was _something_ about Lucy Harrison.

The dark haired woman in question was looking intently at her laptop, her fingers moving across the keyboard quickly, eyes never leaving the screen. She shoved her hair back behind her eyes with a sigh as it fell into her face.

"We're lucky we're going to get there before the ceremonies take place tomorrow," Lucy said, cutting through Brock's thoughts.

"No, we're just lucky we managed to get tickets." He said, automatically.

After speaking to the Captain – Lucy had been waiting impatiently outside the door – they had quickly packed and headed into the small Island city. Upon taking a couple wrong turns and getting lost in the city more times then they could count, they found the airport, rushing inside. With their luggage trailing behind them and completely out of breath by the time they reached the ticket counter, they had no time to spare.

The attendant at the desk had raised their eyebrows as Lucy pushed Brock aside, loudly stating she needed two tickets aboard the plane to Vermillion City. The attendant had commented that the plane was setting off in twenty minutes – on the other side of the airport – and that boarding was already completed. Brock didn't know what it was Lucy did, but as she flashed the attendant something, their attitude changed, handing over two tickets moments later.

Lucy shrugged, her fingers falling silent on her keyboard. "Well, since we won't have to waste time waiting for the ceremony, you're going to have practically two weeks to yourself," she said, nudging him. "Hopefully this will answer some of your questions. Wouldn't it be great if we could unravel your mysterious past . . ."

"Uhuh," Brock said slowly. "What are you –?"

"Nothing," Lucy quipped, making Brock narrow his eyes. That was a bit too quick for his liking. "You just never knew what this ceremony might unlock in that mind of yours . . ." she laughed, pushing him slightly.

"Right," Brock trailed off, unconvinced as he turned to look out the window, Sinnoh below them.

Without a doubt – Lucy Harrison was up to _**something**_.

Lucy took a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily. She leaned her body back into the chair, letting out a sigh. Her dark hair fell across her face as she raised a hand to push it back, opening one eye to glance at her companion. With his attention still focused on the scenery below them, Lucy glanced back at her laptop, a bunch of tabs minimized on her start bar.

When she had been waiting for Brock outside the Captain's office, she had figured it was about time she checked her mail. After three weeks of being out of contact with her friends and colleagues from work, she wasn't surprised by the amount of new messages she had got. She had a bunch of emails from the girls at her Gym and a couple from Scott – stating that her disappearance was more like something Brandon would do. Inwardly, she agreed.

With the Captain letting Brock on leave for two weeks, she didn't get a chance to respond as they quickly packed some things, rushing for the airport in the middle of the Island. Now, with Brock occupied with his thoughts, she called up her email screen, typing out a quick message. She stated that she was currently on a plane back to Kanto, but she had something to attend to before she returned to the Gym. Upon hitting the send button, she scrolled over to another tab, opening yet another window.

Looking through her hair, she couldn't help the slight grin that appeared on her face. She had noticed Brock the first time she had dined in the Alavanti's hall. The tanned teen bringing out all the elegantly made dishes, laying them with a flourish on the tables.

Something had seemed _vaguely_ familiar about him . . .

Nights later, Lucy sat in her small cabin, a frown on her features, her room illuminated by the laptop's dim light. After three days of sitting cross legged on the bed, leaning over her laptop, did she _finally_ connect with something. Lucy then spent the next few days watching the teen from a distance, making a note of his habits in her head. He seemed distant from his other co-workers and seemed to spend long days at the local libraries.

After two weeks, she decided to approach him.

But, she _never_ expected to be on a plane back to Kanto.

That was _definitely_ worth the two thousand dollar, month and a half vacation cruise.

There was little doubt about it in her mind now though – Brock Delaney _was_ really Brock Slate. He was the Gym Leader of Pewter City and had left his family in a daze when he was unaccounted for in the aftermath a year ago. In the past few days at the library, she had caught of glimpse of the ideas written down within the worn book.

He'd been so close to finding out the answers on his own, but, the Anniversary of the sinking was right around the corner. With that in mind, she found herself drawn to the screen once again.

The website had been erected by Vermillion City's Department of Public Services so that the disaster in the Bay wouldn't be forgotten. With the Anniversary so close now, the site had been updated to include the details of the ceremony taking place on the weekend, a few people speaking at the event.

The Slate Family was set to appear with a speech from Brock's absentee-mom and his youngest sister, Mari. Professor Oak was set to appear in the place of Delia Ketchum, the woman not wishing to be in the spotlight. The Williams sisters of Cerulean City would not be appearing due to conflicting schedules, but sent their regards. After that was a short list of survivors of the incident, alongside Officer Jenny and the Vermillion City mayor, Lauron.

Lucy hadn't told Brock that all these people were set to appear, he'd find that piece out later. _Hopefully this all works out_, she thought idly, minimizing the window.

"Now we wait," Lucy said, leaning back with a smile. "Maybe some pieces will fall into place for you now."

"Hmm," Brock commented, not taking his eyes off the window.

Lucy sighed at his lack of response, returning her attention to her computer. Settling in as she called up Solitaire, she could tell that this was going to be a long flight.

###

After making his way through the Eterna Forest with the help of another trainer and her Chansey, Jim had made quick work of moving through the bustling city, another winding route separating him from the next city. By the time he made it to the outskirts of Solaceon Town, the sun was almost completely hidden behind the tree line.

_Finally_, he thought idly.

With the rough terrain and forestry behind him, Jim frowned as he glanced around the small quaint town. He tried to keep a positive attitude as he glanced around him, taking in his surroundings. The Pokémon Daycare was situated off to his left, a large corral spanning quiet a ways. A few people milled around the town, the houses few and far between.

"Talk about the . . ." he trailed off, unimpressed.

The place was nothing like Jubilife City or even Hip Hop Town. Unlike what he had expected, Solaceon Town seemed to move at a much slower pace, as if unaware of the major cities that were surrounding them. He hated to admit to himself, as he enjoyed the cities, but this out-of-the-way town was nice for a change.

He moved quickly through the town as he kept to the cobbled streets, crisscrossing every which way, his eyes scanning the surrounding from behind his glasses. It _couldn't_ be that hard to find the large contest hall. Halfway through the town though, and after speaking to countless people, Jim did eventually find himself standing in front of a large building.

The words _'Concert Hall'_ adorned the front, stylish lights set on each side of the words. The building could easily have been two floors, he thought idly, purple banners hanging between the pillars, stating that the Coordinator Competition was currently ongoing.,

Approaching the building, the automatic doors whirled open to grant him access. He could see people milling around in the lobby, an intermission in place. Melding into the crowd, he tried to catch snippets of everyone's conversation, the Second Round having just finished up. Jim quickly pieced together what had happened in the Appeal Round, the final battle minutes away. He wasn't surprised to hear what two trainers were left; they seemed the most at ease out there on the platform.

It wasn't long after he had found out what he had missed, that the speakers strategically located in the lobby crackled to life. Lillian's voice rang out of the speakers, announcing that the Final Round was about to start. With that, the crowd started heading through the stage doors, eager to see the ending.

Jim sighed, distancing himself from the swell of people that were heading back into the arena. Jim weaved his way between the people, the conversations melding into one. Jim hung back, watching the large group disappear down the hallway, the heavy doors leading to the empty stage ahead.

From the large screen situated in the lobby, he could see the people finding their seats quickly, Lillian standing in the middle of the stage, the judges to her right. He crossed his arms over his chest as Lillian's voice boomed through the speakers, announcing the final two contestants and congratulating everyone that had come out to compete. Moving off the stage as she ushered to the curtained doorframes, the lights dimmed as the curtains fluttered, the first trainer appearing, followed closely by the second.

Jim sighed, frustrated, as he turned his back to the screen, glancing around the large area.

"Now where . . .?" he trailed off, catching sight of two men at the end of the corridor, standing before another door. "Excuse me," he called, making his way over towards them. "Have you seen a girl in a pink dress?"

The two men glanced up as Jim approached them, their faces impassive. "This area is off limits to spectators."

Jim nodded, stopping a few feet away from them. "I believe that her name was Dawn –"

"We cannot reveal anything about the contests or contestants. How do we know who you are?"

Jim laughed awkwardly as the two suited men loomed over him, getting the picture. "Ah, I see. Well, thanks anyway," he commented, turning on his heel.

"Well, that was pointless," he mumbled as the automatic doors to the Contest Hall whirled shut behind him. "Maybe I'll end up back in Hop Hop Town sooner then expected," he shook his head, his fingers finding Mime Jr.'s Pokeball.

As the miniature clown Pokémon appeared, whirling dramatically around on its heel, its hat askew, Jim smiled at the Pokémon. Kneeling down in front of it, he shook his head, picking Mime Jr. up. "I think we might be heading home soon, it seems that girls' all but disappeared. Come on, you must be tired from our journey. Let's get you over to the Pokémon Center."

"I can't . . . I was such . . . a _failure_."

Dawn rubbed her hand underneath her watery eyes, her platinum blue hair messy as it fell across her face. She let out a breath as her bangs fell into her eyes, not caring about her appearance. She had torn her hair out of the pigtails and had thrown her pink outfit haphazardly into her suitcase before dragging it out of her room.

"Piplup's Whirlpool looks so good, it was completely in its element . . ." she mumbled, burying her head in her knees. "I'm so . . . after everything mom taught me –"

Letting out a sigh, she glanced at the small bag that was sitting beside her, shaking her head. Her mom had packed it for her when she set out from Twinleaf Town three months ago, what was her mom going to think of her _now_? She was such a failure.

Shaking her head, she didn't want to think about that now as she stretched her limbs out before her as she picked herself up off the chair, shouldering her bag. She ran a hand through her hair quickly, snagging her fingers on multiple knots; she frowned as she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror.

"I'm going home," she muttered, staring at her worn reflection.

She bit down on her bottom lip, idly picking at her clothes as she realized she'd be the first trainer from this year to return home, failing in their quest.

"Mom's _not_ going to be happy." Dawn could picture her mom's response; Johanna had been so pleased to hear of her daughter's plan to follow in her footsteps.

She shook the thoughts away; she could worry about her mom later. Closing her eyes momentarily, she took a deep breath before turning on her heel and heading towards the Center's counter. "I'm here for my Pokémon, would they be –?"

"Yes, they're all ready for you, Dawn. Everyone's all rested up and ready to go. Good luck on your journey." Nurse Joy said, passing over a tray with Dawn's Pokeballs.

Dawn took the Pokeballs back with a mumbled thanks before placing the balls in her small backpack after calling out her Piplup. With a cry of its name, the penguin appeared, turning its large eyes upon Dawn, looking confused.

"Come on Piplup," Dawn said, bending down to pick up the Pokémon. "We're going home," she added, glancing down at her feet.

"Oh, excuse me," she mumbled as the automatic doors opened before her, a man entering without batting an eye at the blue haired girl.

Dawn glanced momentarily over her shoulder at him, her lips in a hard line at the man's actions. It was like he hadn't even noticed her. Lost in her thoughts, she shrugged it off, not caring about the man with the Mime Jr. on his shoulder.

###

A/N: From this point on, things are going to start to get interesting. Currently, I'm writing Chapter 18, so hopefully that gives me the motivation I'm looking for right now. Although reviews are always a good motivator as well ...


	9. 009: Heartbreak Warfare

_Drop his name_

_Push it in_

_Feel the knife again_

_Watch my face_

_As I pretend to feel no pain_

_Pain . . . pain . . ._

_-Heartbreak Warfare, John Mayer_

_###_

Cole tossed and turned all night long, the time difference getting to him.

Even though the clock said two am, he couldn't find a way to shut his brain off.

It _felt_ like he hadn't slept at all, the minute hand ticking by slowly as he looked over at it.

After what felt like an eternity, the clock finally read off eight am, the dark haired teen letting out a sigh. Not long after that, he could hear the floorboards creaking underfoot as someone moved past the doorway, their feet hitting the hardwood stairs moments later.

_About time_, he thought idly, staring at the ceiling.

It would have been around four thirty pm back in Kanto.

Stifling a yawn as he sat up, he shook his head, the time difference was going to take some getting used to. Ignoring the mirror on the wall opposite him – he knew his hair was sticking straight up – he crossed the room, blinking as he opened the bedroom door. Blearily, he stepped out into the bright hallway, the sun creeping in through the large window at the end of the hall. Running a hand over his eyes, his shoulders slumped as he narrowed his eyes, making his way towards the large staircase, quickly descending, voices filtering up from the floor below.

"He arrived last night? But he's not from Hoenn; he can't be eligible for a starter Pokémon."

"It's a favour to Erika Evans of Celadon City, the most memorable – if not mischievous student from the Pokémon Academy. I'm just watching out for him, a contact for him in a new continent. He's only ten . . ."

"I know," the woman's voice said again, a chair creaking under her weight.

Cole caught sight of the blonde haired woman as she leaned back in the kitchen chair, holding her coffee cup aloft. Closing his eyes with a sigh, Cole left the winding staircase behind, the floorboards slightly creaking underfoot as he approached the homey kitchen.

"Morning Cole," Professor Birch called at the sound of creaking floorboards, his conversation falling silent. "Come on in, we're just finishing breakfast. You just missed my son Brenden; he's starting out on his Pokémon journey today as well."

Cole nodded idly as he appeared in the doorframe, commenting that it was too bad. Inwardly, he hadn't really cared, his mind miles away from the small room. With a brief introduction to Professor Birch's wife Marilyn and a couple pieces of toast later, Cole found himself standing in Birch's lab.

He wasn't sure what it was, but this seemed familiar, as if it was right there on the tip of his tongue . . .

_It was similar to Birch's lab . . . complicated machinery clung to the walls, each screen showing something different._

_There was three empty Poke balls sitting before him, but _why_ we're they empty? _

_But there was another Poke ball, a unique Pokémon within it. _

_It was a –_

"Your Aipom looks like it's in good shape," Professor Birch's voice sounded, breaking into Cole's thoughts.

The dark haired youth shook his head, his dark eyes falling onto Birch. The Professor had his back to Cole, his fingers flying across his keyboard, a scan of Aipom up on his screen. Cole glanced at his Pokémon lying on the examination table, his footsteps muffled as he crossed the room.

"I don't think you'll encounter many problems between here and Petalburg City. You'll find some interesting Pokémon that aren't as readily accessible in the Kanto Region."

Cole nodded at Birch's words, glancing around the lab. "I learned a bit about them from the Academy; Mudkip and all them, right . . ."

Birch laughed lightly, picking up a device up from the table, three Poke balls beside it. "We're only supposed to give them out to new Trainers, but this time, I can make an exception. I want you to take this Pokedex with you on your journey, it will come in handy."

Cole nodded, turning the device over in his hand, flipping the red device open. The small LCD screen sprang to life, an automated voice coming through the speakers. "Um . . . thanks Professor. I'll call you later then . . .? Erika's already told me I'm to check up with her at _every_ Pokémon Center I visit."

"Sure," Professor Birch said, arms crossed over his chest. "Feel free to stop by anytime," he added, following Cole towards the front door. "Oh! Before I forget, you should take these Poke balls with you. I'm sure that you'll find something interesting to take back to Kanto with you."

Cole nodded, taking the offered Poke balls, attaching them to his belt. He paused momentarily, his eyebrows coming together, the action reminding him of something . . .

_The sun was high above him as he noticed a small group of people – _was it townspeople?_ – waiting for him, to see what he received . . ._

_A rock sailed through the air . . . a thunderstorm . . . and then . . ._

_And then . . ._

". . . thanks," he mumbled, shaking his head at the memories . . . or were they even that?

Reaching for the screen door, he blinked, the sun having come out from behind the clouds. He stretched his arms out before him, the quiet town unaware of the new arrival and the journey before him. Calling out his Aipom, he waved over his shoulder at Professor Birch, Route 101 before him.

Glancing down at the Aipom walking beside him, he couldn't help but think this seemed vaguely familiar.

###

Willow wrung her hands together, the shimmering ocean of Vermillion City stretching out before her. She bit down on her bottom lip as she shoved her jacket sleeves up her arms, her red hair hanging limply around her face. Her footsteps were slow as she found herself walking alongside Vermillion's pier, the sun reflecting off the water below. The spray from the waters' waves hitting the pier, make her pause, glancing out at the picturesque harbour. A few boats were docked along the pier and waterfront area, people coming from all over Kanto to honor the tragedy that took place a year prior.

Willow frowned, a sigh escaping her lips as a chill ran across her body – what caused it, she wasn't sure as the wind was still. She noticed a makeshift platform a ways away from her, a small podium situated in the middle. There were a bunch of people working on the platform as they continued to set up the speaker system for the ceremony, a few civilians already milling around the area waiting.

"This is . . ."

_She didn't expect anything to come from this, in her opinion, it was pointless._

_She was just doing this to get Bill Adams off her case._

_She was Willow . . . not this Misty person . . ._

_The event at the Lighthouse hadn't taken as long as she had expected, which was disappointing. In the end, it turned out that the elusive Team Rocket conducting another of their scheme's in order to procure rare or legendary Pokémon, Bill had said. Unfortunately, her mission ended as a failure as the slippery duo escaped capture and disappeared into the dark night. On top of that, the mysterious Pokémon disappeared into the mist, leaving only an echo of its haunting music._

_Only then did she feel a powerful sense déjà vu._

"_I don't think so," Bill had commented, arms crossed in front of him as he leaned on the doorframe, effectively blocking her exit. "I still have one mission for the Ranger before she leaves – and no, since you're here, I don't see the need to request this from Ms. Varasa," he added, seeing the comment on Willow's lips. "I am requesting that you go to Cerulean City, I know that I'm on to something here."_

_Inwardly, Willow sighed, but showed no reaction to the request. Rule one of the Rangers: Any request a client gives must be completed to the best of their ability. Shifting her backpack, she nodded as Bill Adams handed her a map, telling her the quickest way to get to the City._

_Willow nodded, instinctively knowing Route 5 was the correct path before Bill pointed it out on the map._

_She could have just called headquarters to pick her up as she rounded the corner, Bill Adams would never know what she did._

_But, she found herself slightly curious, and found herself sitting in the back row of the darkened arena of the Gym, as a spotlight broke through the darkness._

_Then, Willow's breath caught._

_The tank was immediately lit up, illuminating the Pokémon within. A large clam was located in the center of the raised tank, its shell slowly opening as the music started up. Upon opening, a pink haired mermaid appeared, a Seel joining her moments later as she swam through the large tank. Willow leaned forward in her seat, wanting a better look at the mermaid._

_She didn't hear what the narrator said as she watched the scene below her unfold. A blonde haired prince soon appeared – it was obvious it was a woman, her hair swept up by the crown she wore – and later, a violet haired villain appeared._

_Willow had to remind herself to keep breathing, images coming to her mind._

_Lily . . . Violet . . . Daisy . . ._

_Her fingernails dug small crescents into her forearms, her lips soundlessly forming words,_

_It was all starting to come back to her._

_There was an eighth birthday patty . . . the day her parents died . . . her first performance in these plays, and that day on Route One . . ._

"_. . . Pikachu . . ." she mumbled, ignoring the looks from the people around her._

_There was a charred bicycle, Spearow feathers scattered everywhere. Then there was a Pikachu and the black haired youth with the red hat._

_And just like that, the puzzle pieces fell together._

"_Oh my . . ." she shook her head, words failing her as emotions long since forgotten welled up inside her. "It's . . . Ash."_

_Her whispers were drowned out as the play ended, the stadium erupting in cheers and whistles. Willow shook her head, her head dropping into her hands, tightly closing her eyes against the memories she had forgotten. She could feel the stares people shot her as they moved past her, the play over, the house lights turning on._

"_Excuse me," a voice eventually said, breaking into Willow's thoughts. "The show is over, you can't stay here. If you're after an autograph, they aren't doing that today due to a prior commitment."_

_The commemoration event in Vermillion City, Willow thought._

_Willow shook her head, chasing the thoughts away. "Oh . . . I was just thinking about something," she mumbled, recognizing the green-haired girl from earlier. "I was just heading out; tell Daisy and the others that Willow says hi."_

_She smiled slightly, picking herself out of the seat, heading towards the aisle, her mind miles away. The green-haired girl raised an eyebrow, a million expressions had flittered across the red-haired girl's face as she turned, heading up the aisle. "Who . . .?" It didn't escape her eyes that the red-haired girls' hands were clenched tightly at her sides. "Just who –" She was cut off as Willow's Poke gear rung off, the teen disappearing around the corner._

_The woman sighed, standing among the empty chairs, crossing her arms over her chest. Just who was that girl? She had such a mysterious air, as if she wasn't sure whether she was coming or going. However, she shrugged the thought off though, remembering the group of fans from before the Vermillion City Bay incident who purposely waited around for the Sensational Sisters to appear._

Her sneakers in hand, the ceremony's platform behind her, Willow stood at the edge of Vermillion Beach, particles of sand sticking to her legs as the water reached out every once and a while to touch her feet.

She stared out at the clear sky, white puffy clouds moving lazily across the sky, the sun shinning down on everything. Her shadow stretched out behind her, one of the few occupants on the beach, the crowds now being drawn to the platform behind her.

The crew was since placed the podiums in their correct places, the microphones now properly wired to the speakers beside the platform. Large screens were currently being placed behind the platform as a backdrop, which would soon record the occupant's on stage on the screens, allowing those in the back a good view as well. Officer Jenny was within the cordoned off area, watching their progress and keeping bystanders back.

Willow couldn't help but think how weird and surreal this whole situation seemed.

The ceremony was to commemorate the deaths of . . . but, there was she – a nameless silhouette on the beach watching everything.

Since Cerulean, she wondered what happened to Ash and Brock; the two trainers plaguing her every thought.

Had they survived Gyardos's Dragon Rage? What about Team Rocket?

"Where are you when I need you?" she mumbled, closing her eyes to the bay.

Willow didn't want to be the only one to survive.

###

Melody suppressed a yawn, shaking her head at the scene staring back at her. She had spent the past four hours staring at endless blue sea, the scene slowly becoming lulling her into a sense of tranquility. She had spent all that time, sitting at the control of Karol's boat, shaking her hands now and then to relieve the stiffness and tiredness from them. The map was lying on the dash beside her, held down by a traditional figurine of the Shamouti Islands.

During the past four hours she had only seen the odd patch of land appearing now and then, the small islands consisting of nothing more than thick, tall grass, the odd Pokémon peaking out of the grass. Then, finally, after heading west for so long, she could see the outline of, what she hoped, was the Kanto region, a harbour slowly coming into view.

"Finally," Melody huffed, slumping back into the chair. "This has to be . . ." she glanced at her map and the compass lying beside it. "It looks like it should be Vermillion harbour."

_At least it's Kanto,_ she thought idly, proud of herself.

Outside of the Shamouti Islands, she was horrible with directions. It would have been just her luck to take a wrong turn and wind up in Sandgem Town in the far away Sinnoh Region. If only her Geography teacher could see her now – this would have to grant her at least a B.

Half an hour later, Melody managed to successfully navigate her boat into the harbour, the boats packed closely together to allow for more room. Pulling her boat into a vacant space, Melody grinned as she turned off the engine, having successfully managed to park the boat without hitting the dock or another boat. That would show Elder Savannah that she knew what she was doing, and that she shouldn't have to wait till she was sixteen for a license.

Shoving the boat's keys into the bag at her feet, Melody threw it over her shoulder as she reached over her head, cracking her shoulders. Jumping down from her boat, Melody hummed a slight tune as she grabbed the ropes from her boat, tying it to the dock.

"And what do you think you're doing?"

Melody jumped from the tone, she didn't think anyone else was around. Mumbling to herself, Melody looked up only to notice an Officer Jenny standing a few feet away, hands on her hips. "I'm just docking my boat." Melody said, going back to her task.

"I'm going to hand to see a permit," Officer Jenny said, a stern look on her face.

_Who did she think she was?_ Melody thought.

"Listen, I just came here from the Orange Islands, do you think I have a Kanto permit? I mean, really . . ."

"Passport," Officer Jenny said, not skipping a beat. "You can't be in Kanto without one."

Melody rolled her eyes behind her sunglasses, what was with Kanto and all their protocols? "Its right here," she mumbled, rummaging through the orange bag at her feet, producing a passport book moments later. "It's an old photo though."

Officer Jenny nodded, flipping the small passport book open, looking at the photo. She glanced from the photo to Melody, the nine year old in the photo slightly resembling the thirteen year old. "How long will you be in Kanto? What are you here for?"

"I'm here to try and locate an old friend," Melody shrugged, not missing a beat. "They were supposed to be on the trainer cruise last year, but they weren't on the register I found online. So, I guess I plan to be here until I find them."

"Hmm, if you stop by the station later, we can run their name through the system," Melody mumbled a noncommittal response. "In the meantime, the ceremony to honor last years tragedy is taking place in about half an hour."

"Sure," Melody commented, shoving her passport back in her backpack. "I'll have to check that out . . . maybe he'll be here."

_And use the amount of people here to escape,_ she thought.

She grinned to herself as Officer Jenny let her pass, shouldering her backpack as she past by the Officer, mentally congratulating herself for thinking of something so quickly. Shoving her hands into her pockets, Melody left the docks, walking along the edge of the pier, trying to avoid the sightseers on the pier.

Pushing her sunglasses up her nose, Melody adjusted her hat slightly as she found herself nearing the crowd around the platform, merging in with the crowd. Melody shot a glare over her shoulder as she felt an elbow connect with her back, a kid pushing past her legs in an attempt to escape their parents, which was soon followed by an irate mother, pushing Melody out of her way, yelling her kids name at the top of her lungs.

Now Melody realized why she loved Shamouti Islands – not many tourists.

Grumbling to herself; Melody slowly started to weave her way through the crowd, the Orange Islands native preferring the stand near the back. She noticed another Officer Jenny up on the stage conversing with the people on the platform, so as long as she avoided them, she'd be alright.

Melody let out a sigh as she found herself at the back of the crowd, separating herself from them. "Geez, there's enough people here," she mumbled, dropping her bag to her feet, shoving her hands in her pockets.

"None of these people even know those who past away," a voice said from behind her. Melody raised an eyebrow at the voice, glancing over her shoulder, a red-haired girl sitting on the ledge. Grinning down at her, the red head jumped down from the ledge, landing effortlessly on the ground. "They just came here for the free food and the famous vacation spot. Just look at all those boats out there; they can enjoy it all Vermillion has to offer by listening to a small ceremony. Life will go on."

"Maybe they actually came to pay their respect, honor the dead and well wishes for the families of those who lost loved ones," Melody shrugged, placing her hands behind her head as she leaned back against the ledge. "But who knows."

"Mm," the girl responded. "My name's Willow. Willow," she shook her head. "It doesn't really matter," she mumbled, a thoughtful expression on her features.

"Melody Siana," Melody said, nodding in her direction. "Looks like I picked a good time to arrive in Kanto, maybe I can find the answers I'm looking for."

"Maybe, what would that be?" Willow asked, glancing at Melody as Officer Jenny's voice rung out over the speakers.

"Just a girl I know," Melody shook her head. "She showed up almost a year ago on our Island. She had no memory of anything and is completely ruining my life. If she tells me what to do one more time – so I decided to do some searching for myself."

"I see," Willow mumbled, closing her eyes. "She sounds self-centered, if you ask me."

"She is," Melody shrugged. "With her perfect hair and her morning talk show, it's so . . . ugh!" Melody rolled her eyes, trailing off.

"Sounds like my . . . someone I used to know," Willow said, her thoughts jumbled with her recent findings.

Melody laughed, tossing her head back. "Sounds like they'd be great friends with Jessilina, maybe we should introduce them sometime."

Willow nodded, turning her attention back to the platform.

###

"Finally," Lucy grumbled, pushing her hair back as the automatic doors of the airport opened for her. "I don't think that line could have moved _any_ slower!"

Brock nodded, following the Battle Frontier leader outside, his suitcase rolling along behind him. "At least our luggage finally showed itself."

"Yeah, but seriously," Lucy said, shaking her head. "We hardly had any bags – why would ours be the last out, such a waste of time. We're definitely going to be in the back of the crowd now."

"It'll be fine," Brock said, distracted. "We'll still be able to see everything."

Lucy huffed, rolling her eyes impatiently as she slipped her sunglasses on. "It's already eleven o'clock though, it's already started!"

Brock smiled slightly, noticing the clipped tone of her voice.

He found himself hardly paying attention to her words, taking in his surroundings. If he remembered correctly, not much had changed. He could see the Vermillion Bay and beach to his left, hadn't he mentioned getting a girlfriend at the beach? The Pokémon Center was visual as it sat atop a hill, overlooking the town. Brock shook his head; he had been there a year ago, Ash trying to decide whether or not to evolve Pikachu into a Raichu after suffering a defeat at the hands of Lt. Surge. The gym stood not far from the Center, the gym obviously rebuilt after Pikachu and Raichu's battle – hadn't they practically destroyed the inside?

But that led him back to the question he pondered the entire plane trip – something that he wasn't ready to face.

What happened to Ash and Misty?

"Our first speaker today is Vermillion City's mayor, Mr. Laroun, would you please come up now," Officer Jenny's voice said, her voice booming over the speakers set up along the central area of the boardwalk.

The man to the right of Officer Jenny nodded, smoothing out his blazer as he stepped forward, tapping the microphone on the platform. Officer Jenny stepped back, moving off to the end of the platform.

"First off, we would like to thank each and every one of you for coming out to Vermillion City to pay respects to the tragedy that unfolded on the Bay at the trainer banquet. In the past year, we have successfully reached out the survivors and the families of those who didn't make it off the SS Anne. City Officials have been working intently to try and find out what caused this catastrophe. We have managed to get a couple of Class A divers to make a trip down to the wreckage to try to scavenge as much as they could. They reported that there was a large hole found in the hull –"

"A hole in the hull? That's . . ."

"Too strange," Lucy cut in, disbelief etched on her features. "If that was to happen, it would have had to happen out at sea. It couldn't have happened at the beginning as the ship would have sunk earlier, taking on water from the get-go. But, what could have happened in the middle of the bay?" Lucy frowned, looking perplexed. "It couldn't have scraped against something to cause that much damage, could it?"

"A Charmander . . ."

"Huh?" Lucy said, snapping out of her thoughts. "A Charmander, where? I don't see one." She mumbled, standing on her tiptoes as she looked around.

"No," Brock mumbled, shaking his head. "I mean the ships hull, a Charmander did that."

Lucy paused, looking from the mayor to Brock. "Hey, maybe you should go up there?" she said, nudging him. "You _are_ a survivor after all."

Brock was turning out to be more interesting then she originally thought.

"And now," the mayor said, cutting through their conversation, catching the crowd's wavering attention again. "We have managed to gather some of the families of the survivors and –"

"Ah, thank you, Mr. Laroun," Officer Jenny cut in, placing a hand on his shoulder. "We have Captain MacKlein here alongside a few of the survivors, some from as far away as Hoenn. Also, a few of the trainers' families that weren't so lucky, although the Sensational Sisters of Cerulean City have declined to appear in public."

"It's no surprise," Lucy said, watching Officer Jenny. "They took it really hard; they stopped putting on their shows for a while. I heard that they almost lost their Gym Leader status too, apparently they started to refuse trainers' battle requests."

_Who knew they were that close to Misty_? Brock thought.

###

"I want to ask you coming," Melody broke through the silence. "What do you think happened?

"It sunk, just like they said."

"I don't buy it for a second," Melody said bluntly, narrowing her eyes. "Yeah, sure, there's a large hole in the hull – that's kind of hard to ignore. But, how'd it get there? Come on, something must have happened on board – something that people are hiding."

Willow nodded, closing her eyes momentarily.

She remembered Ash trading the Raticate back for his Butterfree before the ship capsized, leaving them stranded under the water. She could remember panic setting in, reminding herself to keep calm. She could still feel the heat from the inferno in the engine room consuming her, as she tried to keep steady on Bulbasaur's vines. Then the water coming up to her ankles . . . knees . . . waist . . .

Willow shuddered; it was something from a nightmare.

She tried to block out the brunette's chatter as she mumbled about theories, trying instead to focus on Officer Jenny up ahead, her voice keeping the people's attention.

"No idea," Willow grumbled, hoping it would quiet the other girl. She didn't come here to listen to her. "Just listen alright?"

"Our next guest," Officer Jenny continued, motioning to the side. "Was very hard to get to attend the event today due to his busy schedule, but, please welcome Professor Oak of Pallet Town."

"Pallet Town," Willow echoed, the name stirring more memories.

She didn't hear the cheers erupting from the audience as Professor Oak stood up, walking up to the podium. Willow watched intently on the Professor, a few more age lines on his features since the last time she saw him. The Professor motioned to the audience to please quiet down and appreciate the matter at hand.

Willow nodded at that, she wondered how many people came because _the_ Professor Oak was going to be there.

Willow listened intently as Professor Oak spoke of the news, where he was when he heard it, and how it had affected the small town that he, and the trainer on board, Ash Ketchum resided in. Professor Oak spoke about Ash, and how his promising trainers' journey was cut short.

At the mention of Ash, Willow's mind went blank.

Images flashed through her mind.

There was a Pikachu with an attitude problem, the Pokémon and trainer off to a rocky start. She could picture the Pewter City Gym and the Cerulean Gym getting . . .

"I got to get out of here," Willow said, her heart pounding in her ears, the red head panicking at the images. "I can't listen to this anymore."

"Huh? Hey!" Melody called, glancing over at the red head. "Wait, come back here!"

Melody raised an eyebrow as Willow mumbled the quick words, backing up as she saw them. It was as if she had seen a ghost. Willow merely shook her head as Melody's words, turning on her heel, disappearing into the crowd moments later.

Pushing herself off the wall, Melody quickly scooped up her bag, throwing it over her shoulder. She mumbled a quick sorry to those she past, pushing a few gently out of her way. Melody could see the top of a red head weaving through the crowd, heading for the shops and streets that surrounded the harbour. She found herself yelling at the red head, which didn't slow down at all. Melody gritted her teeth in annoyance, pushing on despite the stitch in her side.

"Slow . . . down . . ." Melody huffed, breaking through the crowd at last, searching for the red head.

She caught sight of the red head almost to the parking lot, a hand on her side as her pace slowed. Mumbling to herself, Melody picked her pace up, her eyes trained on Willow's back.

"What happened back there?" Melody called, once she was within range, the red head moving through the parking lot, the voices from the pier's speakers now quieter. "What was that about, geez!"

Willow shook her head as she reached the edge of the parking lot, stopping under the shade of a tree. The parking lot and the residential subdivision before them was empty, a majority of the people at the ceremony at the pier.

"It's all coming back to me."

"Are you alright?" Melody asked, a few paces away, eyebrows raised. "You just took off so fast."

"I remember it. All of it."

"Remember?" Melody mumbled, raising an eyebrow. "Remember what? Are you sure you're okay? Should I call someone?" Melody glanced around the area. "Are you having a moment?"

"I remember the panic that I felt, realizing what was happening, and that they were looking to me for help. There was water pooling around our feet, we had nowhere to run, it was only a matter of time. There was the hole in the hull, Gyardos, and then –" Melody stopped beside Willow, confusion written on her face. "I just can't believe it, that both Ash and Brock are _dead_."

"Hold it right there!" Melody said loudly, throwing her hand up. "What are you talking about? Did a Gyardos attack someone you know?" She asked, trying to piece it together herself.

"It was all James's fault, if only he hadn't listened to Jessie. None of it would have happened."

Melody catalogued what Willow was saying, her mind racing. She bit down on her lip, shoving her hands into her pockets, the puzzle pieces falling into place.

Those names, weren't they similar to – "Willow, are you a survivor of the St. Anne?"

"My name's not Willow," she said after a moment, head buried in her hands. "It's . . . Misty."

###

Lucy glanced away from the platform, Professor Oak having just finished speaking, to Brock who was standing beside her. She grinned up at him, her expression froze however as she saw the faraway look on his face. Shaking her head, she reached out, taking his hand in hers. "Hey, are you alright?"

Brock shook his head, snapping out of his thoughts. "Don't worry about it Lucy, it's nothing." He smiled slightly, turning his attention back to the platform.

Lucy nodded slowly, unconvinced. Shrugging, she let go of Brock's hand, shoving them in her pockets instead, her eyes flickering from the platform to Brock. Brock was paying the Frontier Brain no attention, his attention directed towards those on stage, Officer Jenny introducing a family friend of the Slate family.

He _knew_ that person; they lived beside him, didn't they?

Brock shook his head, the appearance of his neighbour, so he thought anyway, sparking more memories. He had seven brothers and sisters waiting for him, needing him to keep everything going. As for his parents, they were . . . he frowned.

He remembered he was the oldest of the eight children, the one in charge – but there was _something _else. He glanced over at Lucy, a mixture of emotions playing across his face.

The answer was so close.

A melody then rang out through the crowd, drawing Brock's attention, alongside those around them, to Lucy. The dark haired girl mumbled a rushed apology to those around her as she fumbled for her Poke gear in her pocket. Grabbing the device, she sighed, pressing the talk button.

"Excuse me for a second; I really have to take this call."

Disentangling herself from the crowd, Lucy flopped down on one of the pier's benches, leaning back. "Alright, I can hear you now, what's going on?"

"Lucy!" Came her aide's shrill voice. "I don't care where you are _or _what guy you might have set your sights on, but you've got to come back this instant! All the trainers who we told to come back later are returning, they're not too impressed, you know? Apparently, most of them have already found _and_ challenged Brandon – you know how difficult that can be!"

"Well, a flying pyramid can be hard to locate . . ."

"It's not a time for jokes! These trainers are seriously unimpressed, and if Scott finds out, think about this could do to the Gym's reputation. He could even replace you as Frontier Brain."

Lucy rolled her eyes, pushing her bangs away from her eyes. Yeah, I guess Scott _could_ do that, although she doubted it. "Alright, so I guess I'll be there soon, I'm just in Vermillion –"

"Vermillion?! Ugh, Lucy, you said you were _leaving_ Kanto! Seriously, just get back here soon, and don't you dare complain about how your vacation is getting cut short!"

Lucy was about to reply, when the line cut out. She shook her head, a small laugh escaping her lips. That was just like Scarlet, hanging up the phone when she was done complaining.

Storing the phone back into her pocket, she glanced back at the crowd, frowning as she found Brock's back, the teen's attention focused on the platform. Grumbling to herself, Lucy picked herself up off the bench, heading back to where Brock was standing, the mind running a mile a minute.

Would she be able to get Brock to come with her to the Saffron City area?

Somehow, she had a feeling it was easier said then done.

AN

So, now the story will really start to pick up its pace.

Both Misty and Brock have reached Kanto, while Ash just left for Hoenn.

While both sidekicks are starting to unravel more of their pasts, roadblocks are still there.

As for Lucy, she seemed to have a small crush on Brock during that episode in Battle Frontier, that to me, somehow that translated into her having a crush on multiple guys. I suppose, she could be a girl-version of Brock.

Alas, see you next chapter!

12/16/12


	10. 010: Connecting the Dots

Dawn sighed, her hands fingering the straps of her yellow backpack.

Piplup was at her feet, the penguin Pokémon glancing up at her.

Dawn shook her head, pausing at the sign welcoming you to Solaceon Town.

"I'm sorry Piplup, I just can't do this anymore," Dawn smiled slightly, trying to keep her tone of voice bright. "I just wasn't cut out for this; I thought that I would be _just_ like mom because I'm her daughter."

"Pip, Piplup!"

Piplup flapped its' fins as it chanted its name, shaking its' head at Dawn's words. She was just a beginner, Dawn's mother having twenty years of Contest battles and victories under her belt.

"Thanks Piplup," Dawn shook her head, kneeling down to the penguin Pokémon's eye level. "But, I think that I need some time, I lost another contest in the span of a month."

Dawn sighed, her previous endeavors into the Contest World not going as planned.

In Jubilife City, she was full of excitement. Her mother, Johanna had sent her a new Contest outfit to get her into the mood of showing off her talent for showcasing Pokémon. It was there that she met her first rival; Zoey, a red haired trainer from Snowpoint City, winning the ribbon – and her second one at that.

The next Contest was in Floaroma Town, where she had decided it would be the perfect time to show off her newly caught Pachirisu. It was there, she reconnected with Kenny, the brunette having left Twinleaf Town the same time as her; Dawn just narrowly managing to snag the ribbon in the end.

Then, there was Hearthome City, and in hindsight, maybe Dawn had let the win go to her head. After earning a ribbon from the Floaroma Contest, she was _so _ready for the next contest. She didn't practice as much as she had before, their combinations were good, and they had gained the judge's attention _and _defeated Kenny's Prinplup. However, she found herself not making it past the first round, her picture not appearing on screen.

She shook it off though, she still had one ribbon and there was still plenty of time before the Grand Festival. She could still make up time, the blue-haired girl making her way towards Solaceon Town, for the fourth Sinnoh Contest.

However, in the Solaceon Contest, she seemed to suffer the same fate as she did in Hearthome. The judges thought her performance was lackluster, her low scores reflecting that.

And for the second time in a row, she found herself eliminated.

Her name didn't appear on the board – although Kenny's did, even though he lost in the final round.

She had forced herself to stay and watch Kenny's battle with feigned interest, congratulating him afterwards, despite his defeat. Kenny hadn't seemed worried about it, stating there were other contests, but for some reason, he seemed more concerned about Dawn's behavior.

Dawn forced a smile on her face, explaining that she was fine, and that she would see him in Hearthome City for the next contest.

"I just don't know if I can compare to mom," she mumbled, picking Piplup up. "Mom and Glameow are so elegant in the videos at home; all I ever wanted was to make her proud by showing her I could compare to her . . ."

Johanna had so many contest ribbon boxes in her drawer at home, her trophies sitting in the cabinet in their main hallway. Dawn was determined to be exactly like her home.

"_I'll definitely bring the trophy home mom – no worries! There's no way I can lose, not with being raised by a champion!" Dawn had exclaimed outside Professor Rowan's lab, pumping her fist into the air._

"_Now Dawn," her mom said, a slight warning in her tone. "I just want you to go out there and have fun with –"_

"_No worries," Dawn brushed her comment away. "We can do it, can't we Piplup?"_

Maybe she shouldn't have been so confident.

How could she face her mom now?

Lost in her thoughts, a frown on her face, Dawn wasn't paying any attention to where she was going. She held Piplup in her arms, the penguin Pokémon being there keeping her emotions in check. She wandered down the worn path leading away from Solaceon Town, trying to decide whether she should go home to Twinleaf Town or head towards _ and see if she was in a competitive mood upon arrival.

"Pip, pip," Piplup said, its fins brushing against Dawn's arms, trying to gain her attention.

"Hmm? Dawn shook her head, her eyes suddenly alert; one of Sinnoh's many forests before her. "What is it Pip-"

She broke off as something connected with her leg, making the girl jump slightly. She _hated_ wandering through these forests all by herself – who knew what was out there! In her surprise, she dropped Piplup, the penguin falling with a cry of surprise.

Taking a deep breath, Dawn turned on her heel, her auburn eyes glancing down, a pink mime Pokémon rubbing its head.

"What's with you, little guy?" She asked, fishing for her Pokedex in her pocket. "I've never seen you around here . . . were you following me?"

Dawn grinned widely, could she use this Pokémon in the next Contest? She was pretty sure that this Pokémon wasn't normally found in Sinnoh. Without even thinking, Dawn reached for the Poke balls she stored in the pouches on her backpack's straps.

"Would you like to come with me?" Dawn asked, forgetting about the Pokedex she had been reaching for. "Poke ball – go!"

Mime Jr.'s head shot up as it heard the familiar words, its' eyes widening as it noticed the red and white ball coming in its' direction, the blue-haired girl smiling at the idea of a new Pokémon she could add to her roster.

"Mime," it said, unable to dance its way out of the Poke ball's path.

The red and white ball connected with the side of the Mime Pokémon, the creature disappearing moments later. Dawn looked back at Piplup, flashing it a grin as she took a tentative step forward to the still shaking Poke ball.

"This is going to be so –" She paused, the Poke ball stopping momentarily before it popped open, Mime Jr. reemerging. "What?" Dawn paused; blinking as the Pokémon reappeared, looking around in confusion. "That usually works, what's going on?"

"That's because that's my Mime Jr." Dawn blinked as she picked up the empty Poke ball, looking around for the speaker. "And he's the one Pokémon I wouldn't trade for a Shaymin."

Dawn raised an eyebrow as the speaker appeared from the cope of trees to her left. "Just who . . .?"

The man before her looked too well dressed to be on a Pokémon journey of his own. He wore a casual suit, although she could see the dirt caked on his black tie-up shoes, the edges of his pants showing traces of mud splattered across them. His tie was askew, and his blue hair was tied back in a ponytail.

"Mime," his Pokémon called, breaking the silence, racing towards its trainer.

"Hello Mimey," he said, grinning as he picked up his Pokemon, perching on his shoulder. He cast his eyes back at Dawn, the blue-haired girl frozen on the path. "You are Dawn Diamond, correct? I've been looking for you."

Dawn laughed awkwardly, looking around her surroundings; the man to her left, the forest behind her, Solaceon Town on the other side of the hill as the sun shone down on them. "Um . . . yes," she mumbled, taking a step back. "That's . . ."

"Piplup!" The penguin Pokemon sensed its trainers' uneasiness, placing itself in front of Dawn.

"Ah, sorry, I should have introduced myself first," he shook his head, taking notice of Piplup. "My name is Jim Kanda, from the Kanto Region. I saw your performance in Solaceon Town, I travelled here from Hearthome to locate you."

"What?" Dawn mumbled; her guard still up, taking another step back.

Why couldn't he have approached her in town – where there were people, Kenny, Zoey, and civilization. Instead she had a forest – her mind ran away from her, what if she was never found?

"I saw your performance on the television in the Pokemon Center, and your early disqualification. In Kanto, I work at a beauty salon in Hip Hop Town, one that specializes in Pokemon beauty. I came to Sinnoh to research new techniques to bring out the Pokemon's beauty," he explained. "After seeing your performance, I thought that you might be in need of a coach or mentor to bring out your Pokemon's beauty. While watching your performance, I could see some things that could use fixing."

Dawn remained silent after he finished speaking, running over the words in her head. Was this a sign that she wasn't supposed to give up on her dream? She shook her head, reaching back for her Piloswine's Poke ball. "You expect me to believe that? That you came out here in Solaceon Town, dressed like that, to find me? I'm . . . no, this is. I have to go."

Turning on her heel, Dawn headed towards the forest, her heart pounding against her ribcage. She should loop back around to Solaceon Town through the forest, contact Officer Jenny and then her mom.

"Pip –lup!" Piplup said, trying to stand tall before heading after its trainer.

Jim blinked, watching the girl head for the forest. "Wait," he shouted, his senses catching up with him. "It's your Buizel – its swift attack, you couldn't _see_ the Pokemon! That's why your score was low enough for you to be eliminated!"

# # #

Lucy hated saying goodbye.

She had hoped that Brock would decide to come with her to her Gym.

If only they had been late to the ceremony . . . she was sure he would have.

But, after the family friend of the Slate family took to the stage, she knew he would eventually decide to pursue his forgotten memories.

It was only a matter of time.

"_Hello?" Lucy said, leaning forward. "You still in there, Brock?" she asked, waving her hand in front of his face_

_Brock jumped slightly as he heard his name, his eyes focusing in Lucy, an unimpressed look on her face. "Sorry, I was just thinking back to the ceremony," he said slowly, glancing at the mostly-untouched burger in front of him. "I'm trying to decide if I want to go home, see from a distance how my family is doing . . ."_

_He was pretty sure he wouldn't have the courage to go up and knock on the door, turning their world upside down once more._

_What would he say to them? How would they respond?_

_After seeing the family friend of the Slate family on stage, the stories the man told brought back a flood of memories: the multiple brothers and sisters, an absentee father, and a mother that returned upon hearing the death of her eldest son._

"_You're going to go all the way to Pewter City just to look at your family from a distance?" Lucy raised an eyebrow. "Won't that just make you feel more separated from the world? I mean, I think you'd have to be careful how you approach that topic . . ."_

"_That's assuming I can find them," he mumbled, shaking his head. Pewter City was rumored to be huge, what with the ancient Pokemon museum, the first stop for Trainers, and located an hour away from the Indigo Plateau._

_Lucy nodded, taking a bite of her salad. She chewed slowly, giving her an excuse to remain silent. She knew a bit about the Slate family – what Gym Leader didn't know about the Slate family? They had almost lost their Gym when Flint left town, and again when the news of Brock's death surfaced._

_But, there was that look on Brock's face, could she really continue to play dumb? She had approached him on the Alavanti just because of her hunch; the teen having a Slate family resemblance._

_Lucy sighed, putting her fork down. "The Slate family runs the Gym in Pewter City, they're in charge of the Boulder Badge." she said, staring at the table._

_A Gym Leader . . . Brock thought idly._

_Is that why every time he looked at Lucy, he knew he was forgetting something important?_

"_Originally the father was the Gym Leader, but when he left town, his son took over. The father eventually returned, the son set out on a journey . . ." she paused momentarily, taking in Brock's expression. "And, it's you, isn't it?" Lucy finished lamely._

"You alright, Lucy?"

Lucy started, her hands shoved in her pockets. "N-no, I'm alright," she said, smiling up at Brock. "I'm happy for you."

Brock smiled, Vermillion City behind Lucy. "Thanks," he wasn't sure what else to say.

Lucy nodded, the silence stretching out between the two of them. She blinked, taking in the sight of Brock; his brown hair slightly shaggy, hanging around his ears now, a determined look on his face, a large hikers backpack hanging off his shoulders. "Remember, you'll have to come and visit me in Saffron City . . . I want to hear all about this!"

"I will, I will, don't worry," he laughed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "I can't forget you, you've been really helpful."

"Oh stop," Lucy said, flipping her dark hair back. "I only did what I would want someone to do for me in the same situation. Now, you better get going; Diglett's Cave is right up ahead. It gets dark in there when the sun goes down. When you reach the end of the Cave, turn right. You really can't miss Pewter City then."

"Got it, thanks again Lucy," Brock said with a nod, fishing one of the Poke balls out of his pocket. Better to be safe then sorry. And with a wave, Brock turned on his heel, heading for the cave entrance.

Lucy sighed, watching the teen wander up the hill, disappearing into the cave entrance. "Goodbye Brock Slate," she said, turning away from the cave's entrance, Saffron City's exit on the other side of town.

For some reason, she didn't think she _would_ see the Brock she knew again . . .

# # #

Melody couldn't help but stare at the girl sitting opposite her.

After Willow's proclamation, and breakdown, in the parking lot, Melody was finally silent for once.

She felt pity for the red head, her face buried in her knees as she sat on the curb, her shoulder's shaking as the world she had forgotten returned.

As Melody heard the ceremony on the beach come to an end, she tried to get the red head to move; using the excuse of explaining why she looked like _Misty_, sitting on a curb in Vermillion City.

The red head sighed at that, picking herself up off the curb, nodding to Melody's words. With that, Willow – no, Misty – mumbled that she knew a place they could stay, heading off into the subdivision behind them. Melody shrugged, shoving her hands in her pockets, following after her.

And that was how she found herself in a lighthouse belonging to Bill Adams – who was apparently a big deal in Kanto – just on the outskirts of Cerulean City.

"Is she still refusing to come out of her room?" Bill asked as Melody wandered into the kitchen.

Melody nodded in defeat, opening up a cupboard and grabbing a glass. "Yeah, she won't even answer me!" she huffed, pulling out a chair and flopping into it. "I don't know what's with her, if I was her, I'd be happy. She _survived_."

Bill shook his head, his expression torn. "Look at it from her point of view; she had forgotten everything that had happened, considering she threw herself into her new identity. Now, that's been ripped away from her, she's reliving the terror she must have felt trapped under the sea like that; and that her friends . . ."

"You might have a point there," Melody said, thinking about her sister. "I guess I would feel that way if I lost my sister or my close friends."

"You misunderstand," Bill said. "It was a unique situation, she had only met Ash and Brock two months prior, but they all had a special connection," he shook his head, holding up a hand as Melody moved to interrupt him. "As for the two other trainers, they weren't close, but they knew of each other."

"Hmm," Melody said, reaching for the jug of water. "Who were they?"

"Jessie Smith and James Morgan, unfortunately, I don't know a lot about them, you'd have to ask Misty about them."

Melody paused, her eyes widening. "Jessie . . . and James?"

Bill raised an eyebrow as he looked at the brunette, the colour slowly draining from her face at his words. Melody blinked a couple times, shaking her head as she thought back to the Orange Islands, her mouth forming silent words.

"Is there something wrong?" Bill asked, regarding Melody's shift in appearance.

Melody's head snapped up at his words, staring the researcher in the face. "You wouldn't have any pictures of Jessie and James would you?"

"Not personally. However, there are still articles up about it on the Internet," Bill said, getting up from his chair as he beckoned for Melody to follow him. "I kept some of the articles on my computer, it was always something that I wanted to look into, but I just have too much work for one person," he sighed.

"I see," Melody said, following the researcher down the hallway and into another room, lined with computers and television monitors. She didn't really understand the researcher and what it was he was truly trying to accomplish. "So, they uploaded pictures of those that didn't survive? I thought there weren't any . . ."

"Not at first," Bill said, flopping into the computer chair, typing in his password. "Once the names of the deceased were released, pictures started to come in from the families or friends. James Morgan was actually the sole heir to his parents' estate – they made their money from multiple discoveries of hidden talent, apparently they were the one's backing that Popstar Brittney and her Igglypuff's in Johto and Paris of Sinnoh, before they decided to retire around the time James was born," Bill explained, clicking through the many folders littering his desktop. "They took his death in stride; I'm not sure how they managed to be that composed. Apparently, they left their fortune to his fiancée, Jessibelle."

"And Jessie?"

"She travelled with James, but not much is known about her," Bill shrugged. "James's parents tried to bring him back, but he would disappear into a crowd with her whenever he spotted them. I guess that girl was a way to get back at them – ah, here it is!"

Melody nodded, leaning in over Bill's shoulder, her eyes glued to the screen before her. "That's Misty there, you can see that it's really her," Bill said, tapping the screen. "Beside her, that's Ash Ketchum and Brock Slate, her travelling companions," Bill continued scrolling down the screen, text replacing the pictures. "There, that's James Morgan and Jessie Smith –"

Melody tuned out the rest of what Bill was saying.

Her eyes were stuck on the screen, staring at the two photos looking out at her. The boy had shoulder length blue hair, pointing at something out of the camera's range. Melody had the feeling that the boy didn't know the picture was being taken. Had his parents taken this? Having never seen him before, her gaze flickered over to the girl's photo and she thought her heart would stop.

The girl looking back at her looked _exactly_ like Jessilina.

Sure, there were a couple differences. This girl's red hair seemed to be scooped up into a long ponytail, large green earrings adorned her ears, and she wore an expression that said she knew more than she was letting on.

Melody shook her head, leaning in closer; she had to make sure it was her. "Is there anymore of her?"

Bill raised an eyebrow at her question, but shook his head. "No, no one ever came forward. The records show that her mother past away five years prior, which meant she was alone in the world."

"No one even knew she died then . . ." Melody said, shaking her head.

"Well, yes," Bill said awkwardly. "If you put it that way –"

"It's the only way to put it," Melody shook her head, her thoughts chasing each other around. "Can you print that for me?"

"Print it?" Bill echoed; her request odd in his opinion. "I can, is there a reason why though?" he asked as he pressed the print icon.

Melody shook her head. "It's just . . . no particular reason."

It was all coming back to her. It was no wonder Jessie had adjusted so well to their way of life, regardless of the fact her memories were gone. The girl was used to being on her own, adapting to everything in order to survive in a world that didn't care about her. Maybe that was why she enjoyed being on television so much – she was finally getting the attention she had always desired.

And that one moment kept replaying in her head . . .

She had just washed up on the shore of the Shamouti Islands and was sleeping in the spare room as Elder Samantha's house; Melody was supposed to go and wake her up to find out more about her.

"_James . . ."_

That one word echoed in her head.

James . . . James . . .

_Did _Jessilina remember?

Was she just trying to numb the pain by forcing herself to forget the blue-haired teen?

Or was it only her subconscious that remembered him?

The printer spit out the paper, Melody snatching it out of Bill's hands. "Sorry," she mumbled, glancing at the pictures on the page, ignoring the batches of text for the moment. "I really got to go; I need to talk to Misty."

"Melody, wait!" Bill called as the girl turned on her heel, sprinting from the room, ignoring his call. Bill frowned, the room empty. "Bombarding Misty with pictures of them isn't going to help her . . ."

# # #

They had awoken up alone, lost and afraid.

They were once enemies, but now . . .

It was all in the past.

There were no more _good guys_ or _bad guys_.

It was just them.

They had washed up outside of the theme park "Pokemon Island", but it hadn't taken long for the endless droves of tourists and mechanical Pokemon to run them out of the park.

The theme park was no where to grieve, it was filled with too much happiness.

It was that common factor that brought the two together – it was all they had left.

And in that moment, their differences were set aside.

After escaping the confines of Pokemon Islands, and the endless forest and highways that surrounded the area, they came across the smaller Lavender Town, located north of Saffron City.

Immediately, they had a connection to the place.

This was town for deceased Pokemon, the graves of past Pokemon given their own tower so that their trainers could come and grieve for their friends.

But, what about Pokemon who had lost their trainers – where were they supposed to grieve? Were they just supposed to forget their trainer's smiling faces and fade back into the wild to be caught by another trainer?

No, they couldn't even think about doing something like that to their memory.

Beside the tower littered with Pokemon graves, was another tower – it was supposed to be used for excess Pokemon graves once the first tower was completely full. But, with such a depression air to the towers, ghost Pokemon were drawn to the abandoned second tower, calling it home.

Soon, the second tower received a second name: The Tower of Terror.

Townspeople avoided the place; they spoke about creating a new tower when the time came; the Tower of Terror earning a bad vibe.

However, it was there, in the Tower of Terror, that they found their new _home_.

The first tower was marked to honor deceased Pokemon and grant their trainers a place to grieve.

It was only natural that the second tower would do the opposite – honor the trainers that past away before their Pokemon did.

They needed a place to grieve as well.

And just like that, Pikachu and Meowth disappeared . . .

A/N

Slightly depressing ending for this chapter, but I digress.

I've been holding off adding in Pikachu and Meowth as I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them until I got a lot of the other characters stories and plots ironed out. I was recently just watching the arc where Ash is trying to beat Sabrina while I was writing this, and the Tower of Terror seemed like a good place for them to be.

Also! I've started to make a playlist/soundtrack for this story!

(Definitely helps with my writing process as well!)

List:

Catch my Breath: Kelly Clarkson

Come back to me: David Cook

Different Day: State of Shock

Heartbreak Warfare: John Mayer

Here Comes Goodbye: Rascal Flatts

Long Live: Taylor Swift

Try: Pink

Under Pressure: David Bowie and Queen

You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home – Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus

Already Over – Red

It's Time: Imagine Dragons

One Life: Hedley

The Lucky Ones: Kerli


	11. 011: Finding Your Way Home

_You can change your hair_

_You can change your clothes_

_You can change your mind_

_That's just the way it goes_

_You can say goodbye_

_And you can say hello_

_But you always find your way back home_

_- You'll always find your way back home – Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana_

_# # #_

June 30th, the day had finally arrived.

The date had been circled on the calendar in the kitchen; she had to see it every time she picked up the phone to call her friends.

First it was a month away, than a week . . . next thing she knew, it was her birthday.

She was usually excited for her birthday, what ten-year old wouldn't be? However, instead of unwrapping the usual presents – clothes and novels – she received a Pokegear from her younger brother and a new bike from her parents; all for the _journey_ she wasn't excited for.

Yet, she found herself out the front door after breakfast, her parents showing her new bike and constantly telling her how proud they were. Her brother just reminded her not to get lost on the way to Littleroot Town.

Unsure what to say, she had smiled at them, steering the bike away from her home and then into Route 102, Petalburg behind her.

She was pretty sure she was the only ten-year old who _wasn't_ excited to begin her journey.

Truth was, to a degree, May Maple was afraid of Pokemon.

So, when the Duskull drifted out of the trees of Route 101 and onto her path, her reaction was only natural. Jolted out of her thoughts by the Ghost Pokemon, May let out a yell, turning her handlebars wildly to the left and right in order to avoid the drifting creature.

"I should have stayed in bed!" she shouted, her bike drifting off the worn path. "This is just torture – mom and dad must hate me . . ." she yelled, her bike wheels catching on the slight hill.

The next thing she knew, May's bike started down the slight hill, sending the brunette tumbling forward, over the handlebars.

Then –

Crash.

May groaned, her cheek resting against the dirt and grass, her bandana having fell during her fall, her hair now splayed around her. Taking a deep breath – she moved her hands, clenching her fingers into fists around the grass.

_At least I didn't break anything_, she thought idly, her fingers moving easily, the feel of the bike wheel brushing against her leg.

"Ah, my bike!" she exclaimed, the feel of the wheel reminding her of it. "It better still be –"

"Before you worry about your bike," came another voice, obviously male. "Can you get off me?"

May blinked, that voice wasn't part of her internal monologue. Slowly, she lifted her head, her eyes focusing on the scene before her. When she and her bike had started down the hill, there was another person on the path below her – who she had fallen on, and was still lying on.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" May said, a blush creeping onto her features. "I really didn't mean to! Are you okay?" She asked, pushing herself off the other teen.

May cursed her luck – this _would_ be the way she started her journey.

"Ugh, I think so," the boy said, his dark shaggy hair falling into his face, hiding it from view. "We didn't really expect a girl to come falling from the sky, did we, Snorunt?"

May raised an eyebrow, noticing the Ice Pokemon a moment later, standing a ways behind the trainer.

". . . is that your starter Pokemon? I've never see that one before . . ." May mumbled, looking it over.

"I'm not a trainer," he mumbled, rubbing his head where it connected with the ground. May winced at the action – that _had_ to have hurt! "I came here for the summer from Kanto, I'm trying to," he shook his head. "It doesn't matter."

May nodded slowly, taking in his now-dusty jeans and his black and blue pullover hoodie. "I'm May Maple," she said awkwardly into the silence.

"I'm Cole," he said distractedly, dusting off his pants as he moved to stand up. "And that's my buddy Snorunt."

May nodded, smiling slightly. "I'm just starting my Pokemon journey tod – ah! My bike!"

Suddenly distracted as she remembered her bike, May turned away from the dark haired trainer. Behind the two, May's bike laid on the ground; one handlebar slightly embedded in the gravel from impact, and to her dismay, one of the wheels was bent.

"No!" May muttered, moving over to the bike, shaking her head slightly. "My bike, I just got this!"

Cole rubbed the back of his head; he could still feel where his skull hit the gravel, the sudden weight of another crashing into him. Frowning, he watched as the brunette remembered the forgotten bike, fretting over the state of her bike.

Why was it that it reminded him of something . . .

_There was a girl, was her hair in a ponytail?_

_He was pretty sure her hair was red though._

"_What happened to your bike?"_

"_You happened to my bike!" she accused, dropping the charred remains on the linoleum, glaring at him. "You owe me a new bike!" she continued, her hands balling into fists as she walked closer to him, clearly upset._

"What . . .?" Cole mumbled, closing his eyes for a moment. "Who was that?"

"I told you, my name's May," the brunette said, defeat in her voice. "My bike's totally ruined too, and I just got it! Now I have to walk _all_ of Hoenn . . . jeez."

Cole frowned, why did all this sound so familiar?

"I guess I'll have to walk back to Oldale Town," May continued, her face unimpressed. She shook her head, cursing her luck. Without her bike, wild Pokemon might try to attack and battle her . . . with the exception of Duskull, all the other Pokemon had ignored her. "Hey!" she said, whirling on her heel, as if she just remembered Cole was there.

Cole sighed, raising an eyebrow at her as he stood up, Snorunt at his feet. "What is it?"

May shrugged, ignoring the tone. "I need your help. Since my bike's been destroyed, I need to stop off at the Pokemon Center and call home _and_ then walk to Littleroot Town. Pokemon tend to ignore you on a bike, but on foot, they'll come out of the bushes, searching for a battle. I . . . I don't have any Pokemon, could you help me out? It's just until I get to Littleroot Town."

Cole nodded, watching as the brunette scooped her hair up as she tied her bandana. "I suppose so," he said, motioning to Snorunt to follow him. "I'll let you lead the way then."

May nodded, picking her bike up, sighing at the sight of her shiny new bike. It was just her luck, wasn't it? Cole silently followed after her, one thought stuck in the back of his mind: Why did this feel like déjà-vu?

# # #

_Lucy was right_, Brock had thought idly.

Diglett's Cave was quiet a bit darker than he had expected. Luckily for him though, the path was relatively straight forward, as he made his way through the underground, one hand trailing on the wall beside him to keep himself aware of his surroundings.

He found that the Diglett's and Dugtrio's tended to keep their distance from him, the burrowing Pokemon not taking to the small flashlight Brock held. Although, he had managed to capture a Zubat soon after entering the cave in Vermillion, thanks to his Geodude.

"_It will come in handy – trust me," Lucy had said, thrusting the black cylinder into his hands. "Every travelling trainer needs it in their backpack!"_

He'd have to thank Lucy the next time he saw her.

And just like Lucy had said, once he had exited Diglett's Cave, Pewter City would be to his right.

Brock took a deep breath, closing his eyes momentarily as he recognized the place within seconds.

Pewter City, he was finally . . .

"I'm _home._"

The word sounded both right and foreign on his tongue.

He had spent the past year traveling around the world, only thinking about his hazy memories when the ship docked at certain harbours for a couple of days. Hadn't he been excited to travel to the Sinnoh Region?

Brock found it hard to believe that was only a week ago . . .

Letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding, Brock stepped over the small line of shrubs separating Diglett's Cave from Route 2 and Pewter City. He balled his hands into fists, clenching them tightly as he moved towards the worn sign stating the city's name with measured steps.

If he expected anything to happen as the path turned from gravel to pavement, he was unfortunately disappointed.

With the sun starting to set behind the trees of Route 2, people were bustling about the city streets, trying to quickly get to their destinations. A few people glanced in his direction – just another Pokemon trainer, they thought – before going back to their tasks, the brown-haired teen gone from their thoughts.

Shaking his head, Brock ventured slowly into the city; feeling the weight of his backpack, the Poke balls on his belt – he could easily turn and disappear again into Diglett's Cave and head towards Saffron City.

"No," he shook his head. He had made his decision earlier – he _wanted_ to see his home and see how his family was doing. "I _have_ to do this."

The Pokémon Center was to his right, the place lit up to ward off the night, and many trainers were visible through its windows. No doubt many of them were there to challenge the Gym in the morning.

"It used to be me they'd challenge," Brock mumbled, passing the Center by. "I wonder if my father's still there; or if he took off and left Forrester in charge . . ."

It would be just like his next younger brother to take over the Gym, they were only two years apart in age.

The main road branched off then; there were subdivisions to his left, some houses were lit up, cars parked on the side of the roads as the street lights flickered to life. Straight ahead, the path winded into what would be the downtown core, the streetlights shining down on the empty streets. Brock noticed the Pokemon Museum standing on the slight hill at the other end of the City, the building closed for the night.

To the left, was a stand alone building, a line of shrubs surrounding it, separating it from the Pokemon Center and the downtown core. In Brock's opinion, it just made it stand out more.

It was the Gym – _his_ Gym.

"It's just like I remember it," Brock mumbled in amazement, staring at the building.

Nothing had changed since he had been gone. The well-worn path cut through the shrubs, leading the challengers up to the Gym's doors. The front of the building had the words "Pewter Gym" etched into the stone work, large stones surrounding the double doors. Hadn't his father put those there to try and intimidate challengers?

He wanted to go closer for a look – but at the same time he didn't.

The lights in the Gym's building was off, the double doors no doubt locked for the evening. He knew he could easily hop over the shrubs, walk up there, actually touch the stonework, and walk away, no one would know.

But . . . he shook his head.

He didn't think he could pass the shrubs, it would break all the walls he had willed into existence while wandering through Diglett's Cave. Watching for the sidelines was fine by him.

_It's just like I remember, they haven't changed anything,_ Brock thought, walking along the shrubs, his eyes taking in everything.

Situated a bit back from the Gym, was the Slate Family home, so that they could be that much closer to their livelihood. The house looked plain from the outside; two storey's high, a set of cement steps leading up to the light grey front door. The window on the left was their kitchen, the living room to the right. His parents' bedroom and what has been his four-year old, twin sisters' room, but if it was now, was anybody's guess.

Inwardly, Brock sighed as the lights were off.

His family wasn't home, that was good.

He didn't want to make their lives harder by reopening wounds left by his _death_.

Maybe he should just melt back into the darkness, and just let _Brock Slate_ disappear.

"Hey!" Came a voice, loud in the quietness, the subdivisions a-ways away from the Gym and Pokemon Center. "Are you here to challenge my dad?"

Jumping at the close voice, Brock turned on his heel. He could feel his heart beating against his ribcage from being caught, how could he be so careless? Shaking his head, he focused on the speaker, standing on the sidewalk like him, her hand on the gate surrounding the left side of the property from the Gym.

"You alright?" The girl ventured, tilting her head to the side, her hand on the gates' latch.

Brock shook his head, pushing the surprise away. Standing before him, her brown hair pulled into pigtails, freckles peppered along her cheeks and nose, her spring coat tied around her waist. When she spoke, he realized she must have lost one of her front teeth recently.

_Macey_, his mind said, although Brock didn't repeat it out loud.

Just his luck to run into his sister, luckily for him though, the streetlights were just starting to turn on, allowing him the long shadow of the Pokemon Center to stand in.

"Just got into town," he said finally, at least it was the truth. "Just wanted to see where the Gym was located. I want to get here early to receive my badge."

He hoped he had disguised his voice a bit; he always used to make up voices when he would read stories to his siblings at bedtime. Without another word though, he turned when he saw two people crest the small hill, heading back down the sidewalk, muttering a goodbye under his breath.

Those were his parent's silhouette's, he'd know those shapes anywhere.

What he didn't see though, was the porch light flick on when Macey called out to him.

# # #

"Macey!" The eight-year jumped as she unlatched the gate, hearing her brother's voice.

"Hi Forrester!" she called, waving at him as she pushed the gate shut behind her, forgetting about her parents' momentarily.

The thirteen-year old frowned as he ventured out of the doorway, slowly making his way down the cement stairs, ignoring the warmth of the June night, Volbeat and Illumise buzzing as they flew through the trees.

"Who was that you were talking to?"

How many times had they told Macey _not_ to talk to strangers?

Macey paused, raising an eyebrow, her hands hanging loosely at her sides. "It wasn't a stranger, don't look so serious," she giggled, as Forrester's arms were crossed before him. "His voice was funny sounding, but it was Brock."

Forrester paused, his breath catching. They hadn't spoken about Brock in at least eight months, no one wanted to breach the subject and see that faraway look on their parents' faces.

"Macey, you know –"

"I saw you in the window," Macey replied, pointing at the living room window. "I saw you – you saw _exactly_ what I saw." She smiled, looking triumphantly at her brother. It wasn't often she got to make her brother speechless. "Why else would you turn on the porch light – you wanted a better look."

"Hey Forrester," came Flint's voice, pushing the gate open. "Why the serious face? Did something happen to the Gym?" he asked, his eyes going to the darkened building.

"Forrester," his mom said, carrying a couple of shopping bags. "How many times do I have to tell you kids not to leave the front door open? We're not air conditioning the outside, you know."

Forrester laughed, shaking off his parents' words. "I just need to talk to Macey about something important, I was in a hurry," he bluffed, reaching for his sisters' arm. "Come on Mace, we need to talk, sorry mom, dad, we got to go."

Macey smiled slightly, slipping her arm out of Forrester's grasp as he led her towards the house, the stride's long. Shrugging, she left the front door open as she reached her – her parents were right behind her anyway – as she quickly raced for the stairs, Forrester already half way up them.

"Tell me what you saw," Forrester said, closing the door as Macey entered his room.

"I told you," Macey said, flopping down onto his bed. "It was Brock – I'm not lying. It was the same voice he used when he used to read me _The Ugly Duckling_. He looked exactly like Brock did; hair colour and everything – and don't you dare tell me it was just the shadows playing tricks – only his hair was a bit more shaggy."

"And what did he tell you?" Forrester asked, sitting down at his computer chair, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"I asked if he was here to challenge dad. He said he'd be back here early tomorrow morning for a badge. He ran away as soon as mom and dad came up the hill . . ."

"He's looking for a gym badge?" Forrester questioned. "He looks to old to be just starting out on his Pokemon journey," he shook his head. "There's only one thing to do Macey, and I need your help. Tomorrow, keep your eye out for him, I want to –"

"You think its Brock too!" She chirped, pushing herself off the bed. "I know it's him, I just know it."

Forrester nodded, watching his sister bounce off the bed, a huge grin on her face as she reached for his door, her mind a mile away. Once the door had shut behind Macey, Forrester let out a sigh as he crossed his room, dropping onto the bed moments later.

Could it actually be Brock?

Or could it just be a trainer from Johto wanting to challenge Kanto's Elite Four? That could explain why the silhouette wasn't that of a ten-year olds.

In a way, he hoped it was Brock, just so that Macey would be happy – Brock was truly the person that kept their family together. But at the same time, if it was Brock, how would that affect their family?

They had gone through so much already; what with burying an empty coffin, dealing with the pain that he was _never_ coming home, and that his youngest siblings – age one to three – would have no idea who Brock even was, he's just a fading memory and a face in a family photo to them.

"Brock . . ." Forrester sighed, adding a pillow over his head. "Just what is going on?"

# # #

Dawn frowned, fiddling with the Pokegear attached to her wrist.

Piplup followed silently behind her, the penguin Pokemon watching her intently, knowing its' trainer wasn't paying attention to her surroundings.

"_It's your Buizel – its swift attack, you couldn't see the Pokemon! That's why your score was low enough for you to be eliminated!"_

His words kept running around in her mind.

Could it have been something that simple? She tried to picture the Contest in her mind; it was all a blur of colours and lights shining down on her. She had been nervous; almost everyone she had met was competing in the Solaceon Town Contest.

Dawn remembered wanting to beat Kenny; she wanted to show him she could be just as good as he was.

She wanted her childhood friend to remember her in a different way, by winning the competition; she could have shaken off the nickname of _Dede_.

"What do you think, Piplup?" she asked, kneeling down to the Penguin's eye level.

"Pip!" The Penguin replied, making itself stand tall. "Lup! Pip-Piplup!"

Dawn let out a small laugh, picking up her Pokemon. "I'm still not sure what we should do Piplup; should we head home to Twinleaf Town? Or should we head for Lake Valor?"

She had heard some of the other Coordinators talking about the upcoming competition, the Wallace Cup, taking place at Lake Valor. A part of Dawn _wanted_ to go, _the_ Wallace was going to be there – she had looked up to him for ages.

However, she was reminded of the almost-empty ribbon case in her backpack.

She wouldn't last past the first round – she would look like a fool in the eyes of the ever graceful Wallace.

"Do you think we should have taken him up on his offer?" she asked, shifting Piplup's weight around in her arms. "He might . . ."

"Lup, lup!" Piplup cut her off, waving its fin as it struggled against Dawn's grip, shaking its head.

Dawn sighed, dropping Piplup to the ground as she leaned back against a tree trunk, thinking.

She hadn't wanted to mention it to Piplup, but she was considering taking Jim up on his offer. Dawn had always looked up to Paris, the well-known Stylist of Hearthome City, wishing she could be just like her when she grew up. She had watched Paris on television a couple times with her mom, heck, even Johanna was impressed by the red-haired girls' ability to carry herself with ease, her Lopunny carrying itself with grace.

Jim _had_ mentioned that he was a Pokemon Stylist from Kanto and was looking for inspiration. Could **she** be his inspiration?

Dawn took a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily. Sure, his approach was a bit off, what with him waiting for her to be alone in the forest – he kind of overlooked that. But from the look she had at his Mime Jr. it was obvious that he knew what he was doing with his Pokemon.

Her blue eyes glanced down at Piplup, the penguin's tail peeking out a nearby bush. She smiled slightly at her Pokemon's antics.

What if this was the chance she had been waiting for – her silver lining among her many losses . . . and she had just run away . . .

"Piplup," she called, the penguin's head popping out of the bushes moments later. "When we were hiding behind that tree," she could remember her heart beating against her ribcage, her back pressed against the tree trunk as she fled from the blue-haired man. "I saw him heading back towards Solaceon Town, I think I want to talk to him again."

"Piplup!"

"No worries," Dawn let out a small laugh, her heart beating against her ribcage at the thought of what she was planning. "I'm just going to the Pokemon Center . . ." It was getting dark, and she assumed that he would spend the night at the center before venturing to either Veilstone City or Celestic Town – or even back to Kanto, maybe.

". . . Lup," Piplup said warily, coming to a stop at Dawn's feet.

"It's okay Piplup, the Pokemon Center is always full of people." Dawn said, starting to walk ahead through the trees. "Nurse Joy is always at the desk, trainers are always in the lobby," she shook her head. "We should be okay."

# # #

A/N: I know, it's been months since my last update. Although, I've written up to Chapter 23, so hopefully I can get these chapters out a bit faster.


	12. 012: Echo of the Past

After talking with Macey, Forrester found his mind wouldn't stop running.

All he could think about was the Saint Anne sinking – and how it actually brought their broken family back together – and the possibility of Brock still being alive _somewhere_.

He had been up late into the night searching the internet for any new information regarding the Saint Anne, to which he found nothing of interest. Instead, he found himself flopped on his bed, pen and notepad in hand, writing out what he knew about the SS Anne sinking and what Macey thought she had seen.

It kept bringing him back to one question though – if Brock had been alive this entire time, _**why**_ did leave them?

Did Brock know what his disappearance did to his family?

"Forrester – wake up!"

The teenager groaned; his head underneath the covers. He could feel hands pressing against his shoulders, urging him to wake up. He grumbled under his breath, scooting away from the hands, on the verge of falling back into sleep. He didn't feel the hands again, his siblings having given up on him.

It was a Saturday, he wasn't getting up early.

But, Forrester then felt the mattress sag underneath someone's weight. "Forrester," the voice said again, persistent, if not a bit annoyed. "Come on, wake up! The Gym's opening up soon, you said –"

"Go away," he cut in, his voice muffled by the blankets.

"Fine," the voice huffed, their hands pushing him once more in annoyance before hopping off the bed. "I'll just find Brock on my own – just stay in bed then!"

His eyes opened then, if a bit blearily at Macey's words. "Wait," he mumbled, bringing the cover away from his face as he stretched out. "You should have said something Macey," he said through a yawn before rubbing his eyes.

Macey shrugged, leaning against his doorframe. "I figured you'd remember," she said, rocking back on her heels. "Dad's already up and over at the Gym. It's almost seven," she glanced at the clock above Forrester's bed. "I already asked him if I could hang out at the Gym for a while. Since you're the last one up . . . you get to look through the City for him!"

With a laugh echoing in the hallway, Macey disappeared, her footsteps heavy on the stairs. Forrester sighed, staring up at the ceiling as he tried to wake up.

6:50 a.m. – he hadn't been up this early since Brock was the Gym Leader.

Shaking his head to dispel the thought, Forrester picked himself up off the bed, his mind racing already.

Macey was staying at the Gym today, waiting, and hoping, that the trainer she spoke to last night would wander through the front door. Meanwhile, Forrester got the job of looking around _all_ of Pewter City.

He figured he should start at the Pokemon Center – maybe Nurse Joy had seen someone who fit Macey's description. Then, he thought he might check out the Pokemon Museum; Brock had always been interested in that, helping out with the funding that was originally needed to make the Museum run before it could function financially on its own.

As he got dressed though, Forrester still wasn't sure what he would do if it _wasn't_ Brock.

# # #

Cole followed along behind May, the brunette talking about how she was starting out on her Pokemon journey – she wanted a Torchic – and that she wasn't really interested in battling and competing in the Hoenn League, but she'd been to afraid to tell her parents that. She talked about her hometown of Petalburg City and her parents.

"My father's a Gym Leader," she said with a shrug. "There was really no way I could tell him I didn't want to go. I kind of think mom knew though," she paused, Oldale Town before them. "What about your mom?"

"Hmm, Erika used her connections to get me into the Pokemon Academy; she seemed excited though when I asked if I could go to Hoenn for the summer . . ."

Something didn't seem to connect though, as if the puzzle pieces didn't quite fit.

He seemed to remember a woman with red hair, always watching over him, telling him he could be anything he wanted . . .

"Erika? No way, your _mom_ lets you call her by her first name?" May said, cutting through his thoughts.

"No, she's my . . ." What was Erika to him anyway? "Guardian," he finished, unsure.

"I see . . ." May said slowly, raising an eyebrow. "Do you have any siblings then? I have a little brother named Max, he can be a pain though – he thinks he knows more than I do!"

Yet again, the red-haired girl and the brown-haired guy flashed through his mind. "No, I don't think I have any siblings."

"Wait, what?" May asked, the Pokemon Center's automatic doors opening up for them with a ding. "You don't think . . . I wish I could forget about Max sometimes!" Cole laughed awkwardly with her, unsure what else to say. "You're a strange one, Cole."

Cole paused, watching as the brunette walked up to the Nurse's station, discussing her bike with Joy as she pointed to the bike leaning against the windows. Frowning slightly, Cole sunk down onto the nearby couch, the television playing lowly overhead.

He tried to picture the people that flashed through his memories; two red-haired women – were they his mother and sister? Maybe the other teen was his best friend? Letting out a sigh, he ran his hand through his hair, letting his head drop into his hands.

"It's sad, huh?" May said as she reappeared before him, hands in her pockets.

"Hmm?" Cole said; his thoughts a mile away.

"The Saint Anne, it's been a year since it sunk over in Kanto. It's just a news recap," she said, the television flipping back to the news anchor. "You ready to go though? It should only take us about fifteen minutes to get there. I really appreciate you coming with me," May added, smiling.

"Do you know anything about the Saint Anne?" Cole asked, the automatic doors opening for them.

"No, just that it sunk and no one knows why," May said with a shrug. "Wait, you're _from_ Kanto, shouldn't you know all this?"

"_Come on - we got to go, the ship is sinking!"_

"_The ships hull is up above our head and the deck is below us."_

"_It's like the story of Noah and the Ark, he sends out a bird and it brings back a twig."_

"_I've heard tales about Gyardos, its dragon rage. We can't outrun it . . ."_

"_Oh no, -, -, hold on!"_

"Yeah . . ." he trailed off, aware of May's intense stare. "Erika never mentioned . . . I've been too busy training at the Pokemon Academy."

May nodded, shrugging. "I see, well, I guess you'll have to ask her when you see her again. Ah, there's Littleroot Town – come on!" May yelled, grabbing for Cole's hand before running down the slight incline into the town.

# # #

"Knock, knock," Melody said, opening the door as she knocked. "Hey there Misty . . ."

Melody had no idea what to say to her, she wasn't used to dealing with depressed people. She usually left that up to Karol as she tended to slip her headphones on and then disappear outside.

The red-head laid on the bed, her back to Melody. The blinds in the room were drawn shut against the morning sun, the only light coming from the light in the hallway. Melody sighed, her expression unreadable as she stared at Misty.

"Bill's making breakfast in the living room," Melody tried again, venturing into the room. "You have to eat something –"

"Go away."

Melody paused, her lips pressed together so she wouldn't snap at the still girl. "I have something you might want to look at," she tried again, forcing her voice to be happy. "Bill printed it off his computer for me yesterday."

She pulled the papers from her back pocket, unfolding it. After racing away from Bill's computer lab last night, the papers still hot in her hand from the printer, she had stopped outside Misty's closed door – opting to show her the papers in the morning. It would be easier to let the red-head sleep on her new memories before asking her more questions.

"I don't want to read about the sinking."

Misty didn't even look up as Melody came around the corner of the bed.

"I didn't want you to read anything, but whatever," Melody said, dropping the folded papers on the dresser. "I want to ask you about someone," she continued slowly, her back to Misty as she reached to draw the blind up. Misty remained silent, as if she was waiting for Melody to say something. "Do you remember Jessie Smith?"

"Jessie-"

"Oh! I have a picture in my bag," Melody cut in, before Misty could continue. "Hold on a second."

Turning on her heel, Melody reached for the small backpack she had tossed on the dresser the previous night. Misty raised an eyebrow sitting up in slight interest as Melody grabbed her bag, tossing it on the mattress a moment later.

"I don't think I do," she said again, as Melody tossed some things out of her bag.

Naturally, her mind had gone right to Jessie of Team Rocket, but she _knew_ it couldn't be true. She couldn't allow herself to think that the others had survived as well. She wouldn't let her hopes get raised – even knowing Team Rocket was alive would –

"Here it is!" Melody shouted triumphantly, pulling out a small photo album. "I couldn't leave home without it," she added, opening the book, flipping through the pages. "Well, there's my sister and I . . . oh, ignore that picture, it's of our annual celebration – I hate wearing those stupid costumes. That's my house, my parents, ah! This was taken last year for our annual celebration – that's Jessilina!"

With a flourish, Melody thrust the album at Misty.

Misty took the album, her cerulean eyes focusing on the photo. Melody stood to the right, large sunglasses perched on her nose, earphones hanging around her neck, and her hands shoved in her pockets. Beside her stood another girl who short brown hair, who Misty assumed was Melody's sister, a smile on her face, her arm thrown around the girl standing beside her.

Glancing at the other girl in the picture, her hands trembling, Misty let out a gasp of surprise.

Staring back at her; was Jessie.

She had gotten rid of her long red hair, her hair now resting just above her shoulders. Her large green earrings were gone, and instead of her usual scowl was a large smile – as if she was actually enjoying herself, laughing about something. She wore a yellow tank top and a pair of khaki shorts; it looked different seeing her in something other than her Team Rocket uniform.

"It's her," Misty said in disbelief. "Jessie's _alive_, but how?"

Melody shook her head, sitting down in the chair opposite the bed. "She was found on the shore of Shamoutti Islands, in the Orange Islands, she was just washed ashore after a major storm we had. It was just in time for our annual celebration of honoring trainers and their Pokemon, so we thought she was a trainer. She had no memories of anything though, and she didn't seem to have anywhere to go. Elder Samantha, that's my grandmother, offered her a place to stay."

Misty looked back at Melody, taking in everything she said.

"Does she remember?"

Melody closed her eyes, shaking her head. "Nothing, it's just an empty slate. She spoke about a James in her sleep in the beginning –"

"James," Misty shook her head. "What happened to us, it was all their fault –"

"Wait, they sunk the ship?"

Misty shook her head. "Not directly, but it's a long story," She just didn't want to get into it, the fine details of everything were still a touch foggy. "But, is she _happy_?"

Melody rolled her eyes, leaning back in her chair. "That's an understatement! She took a couple classes at our Community College and she actually ended up on television! Jessilina co-hosts a daily morning show with a guy named Danny from Naval Island."

Melody took the album from Misty, flipping the page. Jessie was sitting up on a chair, her hair and make-up done perfectly, looking at the camera as she spoke into a microphone. In the chair beside her was a brown-haired man, dressed up neatly as well, smiling at the audience as well. Misty assumed that that was the other co-host, Danny.

"She's a television host," Misty echoed.

Jessie did always seem to like to be the center of attention; what with their silly motto, the costumes they wore, and how annoyed she would get when they pretended to ignore them. "It suits her."

". . . do you want to go to Shamoutti Islands?" Melody asked after a moment.

Misty shook her head, no. "She looks happy; I don't want to destroy that for her. Reminding her of James would just be cruel . . . she should just stay were she is . . ."

Melody wondered idly if Misty knew about Jessie's past, and if that was why she wanted the other girl to happy in the new life she had created for herself – oblivious to what she had gone through previous.

"Okay," Melody said, taking the album back and closing it. "If you change your mind though, just let me know – I can get us there in no time," she added, tossing the album into her backpack. "What are you going to do now?"

Misty shook her head. "I – I don't know, but I am hungry."

Melody let out a laugh. "Come on, Bill made breakfast."

# # #

Forrester wasn't having a lot of luck.

He had stopped off at the Pokemon Center first, that was where most of the trainers who were challenging the Gym stayed while in town. He was hoping that Nurse Joy wouldn't be at the desk; he didn't want to see the pity in her eyes. But, luck wasn't on his side as Nurse Joy was at the desk, the lobby practically empty of trainers at this early in the day.

And just like he thought, he could see the pity in Nurse Joy's eyes as he asked her about the person Macey had seen, who looked _similar_ to himself.

"Sorry," Nurse Joy had said, a sad smile on her face. "I haven't seen anyone like that."

Forrester nodded, knowing what Nurse Joy was thinking. When they had first heard that Brock had been aboard the Saint Anne – the kids had all done exactly what Forrester was doing now. They had gone around the town asking everyone who came into town over Mount Moon and posted pictures around the town. All they wanted was their brother back.

And now, a year later, in their eyes, he was doing the same thing now.

Macey had called his Poke gear after an hour, saying that the first couple trainers had come in, but none of them matched her description. "But, I won't give up!" Macey chirped, disconnecting from him moments later.

Forrester had wracked his brain as he tried to put himself into Brock's shoes, trying to think of locations Brock would visit. After leaving the Pokemon Center, he walked down to Diglett's Cave, stopping on the outskirts of Viridean Forest. Dejectedly, Forrester made his way back to Pewter City, trying to debate where to look next in the city.

"Hey!" Forrester's head jerked up at the shout, but not seeing anyone he knew and the subdivisions to his right; kept going. "Hey! Didn't you hear me? Seriously!"

A hand landed on Forrester's shoulder, grabbing a fistful on his shirt, stopping the teen in his tracks. Forrester jumped as he felt the hand, stopping him in place. His hand fell to his belt, his hands closing around the Poke ball with his Cubone in it.

He paused, blinking as he noticed a blonde girl standing behind him, a straw hat perched on the top of her head. "I heard you in the Pokemon Center earlier – you're looking for a kid that looks like you, right?"

Forrester nodded, slowly. "Yeah, I'm looking for my brother."

The girl nodded, holding her hat as the wind rushed around them, her yellow skirt ruffling. "I just came over Mount Moon last night, I'm pretty sure that I saw someone who looked like you, maybe?" She laughed awkwardly. "He was heading towards the Museum over there, you should check that out!"

Forrester nodded, glancing at the roof of the Museum that was visible over the downtown core. "The Museum . . ." he nodded, his mind racing. "Thanks."

"No problem," the girl said, Forrester suddenly distracted. "Hope you find him." There wasn't any point to mention she had once battled Brock for a Boulder Badge.

Forrester turned over the girls' words in his mind, his dark eyes trained on the Museum's roof, his hands clenched into fists before letting them go. His thoughts went briefly to Macey – but he didn't want to bring her in case it _wasn't_ Brock.

Lost in his thoughts, he wasn't sure when, but before he knew it, he was running. The storefronts flashed by him as he weaved his way through the crowds on the sidewalk – ignoring their calls of annoyance – and then, he was racing along the grass lawn that led up to the Museum.

And then he stopped.

He could feel his heart beating in his chest, his hands clenched into fists as he stared at the brown building, the words _Museum_ above the door, an Aerodactyl silhouette behind it.

Could Brock be here?

Shaking his head, he couldn't stop here, he willed himself to walk across the parking lot, and push the Museum door open. Subconsciously, he flashed his pass to the receptionist sitting at the desk, glancing around the open space.

The collection of the ancient Pokémon's bones stood before him; Kabutops to his right and Aerodactyl to his left, Omantye up on a pedestal between the two. Forrester shook his head, he could picture Brock helping the Curator setting it up, he had been so happy doing that.

Forrester and his siblings hadn't come to the Museum in the past year; they hadn't wanted to be reminded of Brock, their brother having helped out on gathering so many of the collections.

Instead, Forrester turned on his heel, walking back to the Curator. "Hey Rena, you haven't seen anyone unusual around here, have you?"

Rena looked up from her computer screen, an eyebrow raised. "Anyone unusual – that's way to vague Forrester," she laughed, smiling at him. "Although, I guess you could count as _unusual_, you haven't been here for a while."

Forrester nodded idly, Rena wasn't even aware of how close she was to the answer he wanted. "I mean besides me," he said, feeling her questioning stare. "Macey thought she saw someone unusual in front of our house yesterday –"

"Are the paparazzi still coming around?" Rena asked, rolling her eyes. "Seriously, they should just leave you all alone, despite that it was around –" she stopped midsentence, casting Forrester a glance.

He waved her concern aside. "Don't worry about it; it's been a year . . ." he shook his head. "I just wanted to check out the places that were tied to Brock in some way; I didn't want anything to happen."

"Well, thanks Forrester," Rena grinned. "Our security is pretty decent, but extra eyes are always good too."

Forrester nodded, heading past the desk. "Well, you know our number if anything does go wrong here," Rena nodded, her attention wavering back to her computer screen. "At least this will put Macey's mind at ease."

He heard Rena mumble something about Macey, she had always clung so tightly to Brock.

As the automatic doors closed behind him, Forrester let out a sigh. While the tip from the girl in yellow had been a start, it had let him down. The only thing of interest up here was the Museum, no one ever really went to the . . .

Forrester paused, his eyes widening slightly.

The Old Mill . . .

Sure, it had been abandoned over ten years ago, but hadn't their father, Flint, stayed up there, watching his family at a distance?

And then there was Ash . . . hadn't he mentioned training his Pikachu at an _old mill_?

It couldn't be . . .

Shaking his head, Forrester started down the sidewalk in front of the Museum, and glancing at his surroundings to make sure no one was watching him and there was no security cameras trained on the area, Forrester reached for the chain link fence, easily vaulting over it.

Inwardly he made a note, reminding himself to mention that the Museum needed some kind of outside security – that was just too easy. What if the awful organization _Team Rocket_ had found that out first?

Ducking low so he wouldn't be spotted through the ground level windows, Forrester went as fast as he could, his eyes trained on the mill that was hidden behind the tree line. Once free from the side of the Museum – the back having few windows, only a couple empty picnic tables for the workers' breaks – Forrester made a run for it.

A stream was to his right, running merrily down its path unaware of the world around it as it fought its way towards the ocean. Forrester paid little attention to the stream as he trained his eyes on the trees, his heart hammering in his chest.

If no one was there, it would prove that Macey was wrong.

That Brock was really dead, and that was only another person . . .

Taking a deep breath as his footsteps slowed, Forrester disappeared into the dense trees, out of sight. The stream was still to his right, and after a couple minutes of walking over tree roots and greenery, the trees started to thin and there before him was the old mill.

The exterior was just like he remembered it – a wooden cabin and a rickety, wooden wheel that slowly moved with the stream rushing through it.

Closing his eyes momentarily to prepare himself, Forrester let out a breath he didn't know he was holding before moving forward.

_It's going to be nothing_, he told himself. _It's just going to be an empty, dusty room, the footprints of dad long lost to time._

Forrester came to a stop before the mills' cabin, the wooden door a foot in front of him. He couldn't stop himself, as he reached for the door, his hand was shaking.

It was now or ever – he pushed the door open with a loud _creak_.

And just like that – his world came crashing down.

###

A/N –

Horrible place to leave it, but, we'll see where this leads too soon . . .

The person that pointed Forrester towards the Museum is supposed to be Yellow from the manga's. I've been wracking my brain for random trainers that they ran into in their journey/movies for a cameo so that I don't have to make up characters.

Alas, R&R!


	13. 13: Still Alive

_So silent, no violence_

_But inside my head_

_So loud and clear_

_You're screaming, you're screaming_

_Covered up with a smile I've learned to fear_

_- Still Alive, Lisa Miskovsky_

_# # #_

The next morning, Misty and Melody left Bill's Lighthouse, waving goodbye over their shoulder. In Melody's opinion, Bill seemed happy that the two girls were finally leaving; he seemed socially awkward, not really knowing what to do with two girls suddenly taking up residence in the empty Lighthouse. Although she would give him some credit, he did tell them to come back anytime – no doubt he thought Misty might return to Cerulean City as she headed for Route 24.

"You're not really heading home are you?" Melody asked, rummaging through her messenger bag for her sunglasses.

Misty shook her head, her eyes trained ahead of her. "Of course I'm not. I'm not _ready_ for that, my sister's _just_ got over my death – I can't force my _re_appearance back at them at a drop of a hat. Maybe someday I'll return home."

Melody nodded, putting on her sunglasses before shoving her hands in her pockets. She silently followed the red head through Route's 25 and 24, taking in her surrounding's as she went, considering she'd never been to Kanto before.

Misty had finally changed out of her Pokemon Ranger outfit that morning, the outfit resting in the bottom of her backpack – although she had kept the blue biker shorts on, pairing it with a blue top Melody had picked up in town. Inwardly, Melody was happy the red-head was wearing something else for a change, the red-head _only_ having packed another Ranger outfit – _"I was here on a mission"_, Misty would say when asked about it.

"Hey, what's that over – oof," Melody mumbled, preoccupied with the small, guarded cavern to the left of them as she walked into Misty's back. "What's going, oh! It's Cerulean City . . . which way are you going to go?'

The last time she and Misty had past through Cerulean it had been near dusk. But, on Saturday's, Cerulean seemed to become busy. From their vantage point on the bridge leading into the city, Melody could see a small market taking place in the center of town, and almost every front yard had children playing or adults cleaning their cars or gardening.

While Misty's hair might be longer now then it was in the pictures at Bill's Lighthouse, but would someone recognize the former Gym Leader? "Hey, you want to use my hat?" Melody said, jumping slightly as Misty turned to the right, houses on either side of the road. "Someone might recognize you," Melody hissed, reaching for her green hat.

Misty shrugged, not paying Melody any attention as she started down the sidewalk, her eyes trained ahead of her. "If someone recognizes me, so be it. It could . . ." Misty trailed off, shaking her head.

Misty didn't have to finish her sentence; Melody could guess what the red head was thinking.

She _wanted_ someone to recognize her, she wanted her sister's to hear word of a look-like.

Misty wanted someone to know that she was alive.

But, she didn't want to say anything to disturb the fragile peace her sisters had created.

Melody sighed, slipping her headphones on as she pressed play on her CD player, remaining a few steps behind Misty, watching the people working in their yards – most of them not giving the two teenagers any attention.

###

It had been three weeks since Melody had taken off in the middle of the night.

Jessilina had watched as Karol took off in one of their neighbor's boats, hoping that Melody might have gone to one of the surroundings islands for some reason.

Sure, she could see why Melody might try to venture to the Islands of Fire, Ice, and Lightning; the brunette had always been the adventurous type.

But, somehow, she believed that given the chance – Melody would go further.

Why would she stay so close to home, given that Karol's boat was so recognizable to those of the Orange Islands?

So, it came of no surprise when Elder Samantha got a long distance call from Kanto.

"_I'm home," Karol called, shrugging out of her wind breaker as she hung her boat keys up on a ring. "What's wrong?" she asked, pausing in the doorway of the kitchen, noting the unimpressed look on her grandmother's face as she hung the phone up._

"_That was Officer Jenny –"_

_Karol sighed. "What did –" she shook her head, Jenny wasn't calling about Melody. "What did she need?"_

"_It was an Office Jenny from Vermillion City, Kanto. She claims that a boat was docked there a week ago without a permit, the owner never coming back for it. They traced the boat back to –"_

"_Kanto?!" Karol exclaimed, cutting her grandmother off. "Are you serious – Melody went there?"_

"_Oh, did you find her?" Jessilina asked, typing away on her Poke gear as she entered the living room, her make-up all done for the upcoming taping of her morning show._

_Karol shook her head, rolling her eyes. "It seems that Melody decided to really runaway, apparently she docked my boat in Vermillion's harbour, and is currently somewhere in Kanto."_

_Jessilina nodded, storing her cell phone in her designer jean's pockets. "She was always the adventurous type."_

"_She's thirteen," Karol said, her hands reaching for her wind breaker again. "Sailing around the Orange Islands is one thing, but going to a different continent and just – ugh! She's probably lost somewhere."_

"_I bet she's fine, Kanto's not overly huge. It just has a lot of small little towns and cities."_

_Karol raised an eyebrow, pausing as she zipped up her coat. "How do you know?"_

_Jessilina paused, wracking her brain for an answer. How did she know? "I think I read about in a book. Don't forget, we interviewed Suzy Lamont and – what was her name? – Lara Laramy in the past couple months on the show."  
_

_Karol nodded, grabbing the keys off the key ring before turning and opening up the door leading to the garage. "I'm going after her," she said with finality, heading into the garage._

_Samantha shook her head, mumbling about how she had expected more out of Melody. Jessilina frowned as she walked past her, following Karol into the garage. "Do you think you'll find her?"_

"_Of course I will," Karol said offhandedly, rooting through a cabinet against the far wall. "Melody's going to wish that I didn't, but she'll get over it – she's just trying to rebel again."_

_Jessilina nodded, leaning against the doorframe. "Hopefully she finds the adventure she was looking for," she mumbled, her cell phone vibrating in her pocket. "Hello, Jessilina speaking," she said, flipping the phone up._

_She cast a glance back at Karol, her back turned to the television host, making Jessilina shake her head, focusing on her manager running over the weeks' guests on the talk show._

"Jessilina, are you alright?" Danny stage whispered, the taping of their show having just ended. "You didn't see like you were all there . . ."

Jessilina shook her head, dispelling the thoughts as she glanced up, Danny before her. "Sorry," she mumbled, smiling slightly. "Samantha got a call from Vermillion City in the Kanto region; apparently Melody docked Karol's boat there –"

"Ah," Danny interjected, nodding. "You're worried about her aren't you? Not that I blame you, she seems rather erratic in her thinking sometimes."

Jessilina nodded, flipping her cell phone open and close. "Karol sent me a text when the show was on, she's heading out to find Melody tonight. In a way, I'm not surprised, when I left for here Sunday morning, she seemed," Jessilina shook her head. "She's spent the past week packing and mapping out the fastest way to Vermillion and locations that Melody might go to."

Karol also mentioned that one of the people Karol worked for was loaning her one of their boats to go after Melody. Everyone on seemed Shamoutti Island seemed intent on getting Melody back safe and sound – even though the brunette had thought everyone on the Islands compared her to her sister.

"Well, she'll have an interesting adventure in front of her, hopefully she's prepared – we all know Melody can be troublesome."

Jessilina paused, tuning Danny out as his words stuck in her mind, chasing each other around.

_Adventure . . . prepared . . . trouble . . ._ _and there was –_

"Jessilina, are you _sure_ you're alright?" Danny asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're spacing out again; maybe you need some time to think about it?"

She shook her head, she didn't have time to think about that recurring dream – the blue haired man was just part of a dream.

"Think about what?" She asked, drawing her attention back to the conversation at hand.

Danny sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You girls sure don't make it easy for us," he shook his head, his gaze holding Jessilina's. "It's been over a year since we met and started the show, not knowing that it was going to be such a success, and given everything that has happened and our chemistry – Jessilina, will you marry me?"

###

"Finally!" Melody exclaimed, seeing the end of the tunnel ahead of them. "I _never_ thought we'd see daylight again!"

After leaving Cerulean City behind them – Melody taking note that no one really paid them any attention, to absorbed in their own lives – they quickly made short work of Route's 9 and 10, leading them out of the city's limits, an oddly shaped mountain snaking its way through the area, causing them to make a turn here or there. Misty commented that it was part of the Rock Tunnel – which was where they were headed.

Only thing was – Misty forgot to mention the cave was_ dark_, the two girls unable to see a foot in front of their face. Melody scrunched her nose up at the sight before them – was Kanto so far into the boonies that they didn't have a lighting system set up in their caves?

Misty shook her head at Melody's comment, the brunette running ahead of her. "You're overreacting. We made it out of there fine," Misty grinned, glancing down at the Pokemon following along beside her. "Didn't we, Cubone?"

It might have been a fact that she had overlooked – neither her Azurril nor Goldeen knew the move Flash, and neither did Melody's Slowpoke. Thankfully, luck seemed to be on their side as they soon came across a Cubone, which didn't fare well against the water types.

"But imagine if we hadn't found it," Melody's voice drifted back, the brunette in the entrance now. "We'd still be lost and wandering around in circles, ugh!"

Misty let out a laugh, fishing Cubone's poke ball out of her pocket. "Come on, it's time for you to have a nice rest, you've been a lot of help to us."

"Cu-bone, bone!" It said, raising the bone it held before returning to the poke ball. Misty smiled, stowing the poke ball back into her pocket as she turned on her heel, picking up her pace to catch up with Melody.

"Ah, you finally made it," Melody grinned, the sun beating down on her. "I couldn't stand being in the darkness much longer – a girl like me isn't meant to be the dark!"

Misty laughed, shaking her head at Melody's actions as she stretched her arms out. "You're exactly like Jessie was – over exaggerating everything."

Melody paused, scrunching her nose up. "I'm nothing like her, that's actually kind of mean!" she half-yelled, pointing a finger at Misty. "That's so not cool; I'm not one for the spotlight anyway."

"Or stealing Pokemon," Misty grumbled under her breath.

"So, you never did tell me," Melody said, falling into step beside Misty as they started down the small incline, a town below them. "Where are we even going?"

Misty grinned slightly, shrugging. "I don't have a place in mind yet. I just couldn't stand there at the Lighthouse anymore – I _know_ that Bill kept thinking that I should return to the Cerulean Gym. I felt like I couldn't trust him, I was just waiting for him to call my sisters and tell them he had something to show them. He used to date one of my sisters, you know?" Misty added, seeing the look on Melody's face. "And I'm not ready to see my sisters yet; I need to do some _soul searching_. I wanted to come to terms with the fact that Ash and Brock were gone, but then you said that Jessie was alive –"

"It could have been a coincidence," Melody interjected.

"I wish," Misty let out a laugh. "But in that journey, the one thing I realized was that if it involved Jessie and James, it _wasn't_ a coincidence."

"So, you're just running away then, traveling to different places?" Melody summed up, raising an eyebrow.

Misty shrugged. "If that's what you want to call it, you can. I don't think you really understand what it's like, believing that you know one thing and then finding out that everything you created, it was just . . ." Misty shook her head. "It's hard to put into words, you know?"

Was it wrong of her to wish Melody had mentioned Ash and Brock _instead_ of Jessie?

"So, what is this place called?" Melody asked, changing the subject as the silence stretched on. "It doesn't look very lively."

"It's called Lavender Town," Misty said, walking into the town. "I haven't been here since my sister's Lapras died."

"I see . . ." Melody trailed off, how did a Lapras come into it?

"Lavender Town is the final resting place of Pokemon," Misty explained. "About twenty-five years ago, a man named Mr. Fuji created the Pokemon Tower after his beloved Chansey died. He wanted a place to pay his respect for his companion, which led him here. Originally this was just an open space, connecting Saffron City to the Rock Tunnel. He built the Pokemon Tower and the house next door by himself. Slowly, Lavender Town was built around it; more trainers become intrigued by his idea of remembering the Pokemon that have past before their trainers. The Pokemon Tower is seven floors high, all full of Pokemon graves, although no one ever goes past the second floor – the third to seventh floor are rumored to be haunted," Misty shook her head. "With everything that has been going on lately, I thought this would be a good place to start my new journey."

Melody nodded, her eyes trained to the large Tower looming above them, its roof pointed, as if piercing the heavens. "That's a sad story. Are any of your Pokemon here, Misty?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure."

Her Staryu and Starmie – what had happened to them? She couldn't remember if she had called them back into their poke balls or not, or were they were still out there in the ocean, waiting for her? Or had someone else came along and captured them?

She didn't want to think about it, those were the final gift her parents had given her.

"Come on," Melody said, breaking through Misty's thoughts. "Let's just get a room at the Pokemon Center and Nurse Joy can look over Cubone," Melody added, tugging on Misty to get her to move, her feet rooted to the floor.

"I suppose so," Misty nodded slowly, her eyes trained on the Pokemon Tower, her eyes scanning the tower. She shook her head, it was her mind playing tricks on her – she _didn't_ see something yellow in the corner of the grimy windows.

###

Every day was the same as the day before it.

Pokemon Trainers came to visit the graves of their deceased Pokemon.

Some would come with flowers to mark an anniversary, some would come with their friends, and some would stop at the gate surrounding the Tower before turning around, going back the way they came.

And every day, Pikachu sat in the shadows cast by the sun, its eyes trained on the gate.

Meowth had done the same in the beginning, before giving up after a week.

It didn't believe that Jessie and James would come looking for him.

And he certainly didn't expect the likes of Giovanni to show up at the gate.

"You's got ta face it, they're not comin'" Meowth said, shaking its head. "We's been left behind."

It would take time – Ash would come looking for him.

Pikachu kept looking for him, that black hair hidden underneath a red hat.

He would come.

A week went by . . . then a month . . . then a year.

Ash would have come by now, Pikachu knew it. Maybe Meowth was right?

And yet, Pikachu still sat there waiting.

It was only a matter of time . . .

"_Are any of your Pokemon here, Misty?"_

"_To be honest, I'm not sure . . ."_

Pikachu's ears perked up at the muffled voices, not many trainers visited the tower this late.

Muffled voices and then – _"I suppose so."_

"Pi?" It said lowly, picking its head up, looking through the window.

And then, he saw them.

Her strawberry-blonde hair might have been pulled out of its customary ponytail, but Pikachu could recognize that voice anywhere. It was Misty.

"Pi! Pika-chu!" Dropping his front paws off of the window's ledge, Pikachu turned, heading for the spiral stairs leading down.

All of his waiting had paid off, Misty had returned.

"What's all dat racket?" Meowth said, muffled as Pikachu raced down the rickety old staircase. "You's finally giving up, Pikachu?" He continued, as Pikachu raced into view, the sounds of Gengar and Haunter laughing at something on the old television.

"Chu! Pi –pi!" Pikachu replied, paying Meowth little attention as he skidded around the corner, down the stairs, and out of sight again.

"Wait a second," Meowth said, translating what Pikachu had yelled. "You's saying that the twerpy girl's outside with someone?"

Subconsciously, Meowth found himself following after Pikachu. He had put Jessie and James out his mind as best as he could, he wasn't part of Team Rocket anymore. But, if the twerpy girl had survived –

"Hey, wait for me!"

Meowth stumbled as he quickly descended the stairs, trying to keep Pikachu in its sight. By the time, Meowth reached the bottom of the stairs, rows and rows of graves stretched out before him and Pikachu. They hadn't visited the bottom floor since their arrival, they hadn't wanted to be reminded of their past . . .

"Pika!"

Meowth shot a look at Pikachu, out of breath. It had been over a year since he had walked further than a couple floors – and he certainly didn't run them. However, Meowth shook his head, pushing himself back into a standing position, nodding to Pikachu.

"Chu," Pikachu said, squeezing through the small opening that was hidden behind a bunch of nailed in boards. Since Mr. Fuji had past away, the upkeep and repairs on the Pokemon Tower had slowly come to a stop.

Meowth sighed, squeezing through the small area after Pikachu. The sun was setting over the mountains, casting long shadows over everything in sight. Meowth blinked a couple times, taking in their surroundings. "You's sure you saw her?"

Pikachu nodded, coming to a stop at the gate that surrounded the Pokemon Tower's property. Meowth watched as Pikachu sniffed the dirt and grass around the gate, its ears and tail twitching before looking to the left, starting off moments later.

"You's found her scent . . ." Meowth shook his head, he couldn't believe it.

After a year, he had _long_ since given up on them.

###

Melody sighed, flopping onto the bottom bunk, stretching out. "Awesome, these are so much more comfortable than those spare rooms at the Lighthouse!"

Misty let out a laugh, hanging up her pink jacket on the back of the chair, her small bag resting on the floor. "I somehow doubt Bill has many guests visit him."

"Didn't your sister date him? I'm guessing she never stayed the night up there?"

Misty grinned, shaking her head. "If you had ever met Daisy, you'd understand. Daisy's my eldest sister and she was used to getting everything she ever wanted, the rest of us always got her hand-me-downs. I couldn't see Daisy roughing it on a thin mattress where you could feel the springs digging into your back – without a doubt, she would prefer the four-poster bed she has back in Cerulean, everything she needs available at the drop of a hat."

"Huh, they're pretty popular then."

Misty nodded, flopping into the empty chair. "Daisy was the captain of her high school's swim team, Violet was the captain of the Cheerleader's, Lily was voted Prom Queen, and all three of them had no problems finding dates."

That was one of the reasons she had run away from home – she was tired of always being compared to them. She wasn't the _captain_ of anything, and couldn't care less about _Prom_. Being a Water Pokemon Master was more important, but was that just a silly wish of a twelve year old?

Now, she wasn't too sure.

If she hadn't left home, she _never_ would have met Ash, Brock would've just been another Gym Leader, and she wouldn't have gotten on the Saint Anne and _died_ in the public's eye.

But . . .

"Are you going to go back to the Pokemon Tower?" Melody asked, scrunching up her nose. She wasn't a fan of the tower and the way it seemed to loom over them.

"I'm not sure," Misty said slowly, frowning. "I don't know where to go next."

"You said your friends lived in Kanto too – why not start there?"

Misty shook her head. "I – I can't."

Sure, she'd only seen Ash's mom and Professor Oak in video calls with Ash, but she didn't want to see them. She didn't want to know what happened to Ash's mom after she learned _her_ son was dead; imagining it made her shiver, goose bumps rising on her arms. As for Brock's _nine_ siblings . . . wasn't the youngest sibling two then?

"Just a suggestion," Melody shrugged. "Doesn't this mean half of Kanto is off limits?" She had a map of Kanto somewhere in bottom of her bag; it hadn't looked that big at the time.

The pager on the small table buzzed off, making the two girls jump. Nurse Joy had given them the pager alongside a key to their hotel room for the night, saying that she would page them when she was done checking over and healing their Pokemon.

"I'm too tired to move," Melody mumbled, pushing herself into a sitting position. "The Rock Tunnel was so much longer than I thought," she muttered.

"I'll go," Misty said, snatching up the vibrating pager as she stood up. "I just need –"

"Time to think," Melody finished, nodding. "I understand. I'll wait here."

Misty mumbled a quick thanks, heading for the door as Melody reached for the television remote. Misty's footsteps were muted against the carpet lining the hallway. She cast a glance at the elevator as she past it, suppressing a shudder. She had been glad this Pokemon Center was only one floor – she didn't think she could handle being _trapped _in the elevator, even if it was for a few minutes.

Her mind was running in circles; her sisters, Ash, Brock, Team Rocket, Cerulean City, the Pokemon Tower's significance, Pallet Town, and then the terror of being trapped under the water and left to die, unnoticed. She let out a sigh though, trying to dispel the thoughts that threatened to consume her as she opened the door separating the hotel rooms from the lobby of the Pokemon Center.

"Ah Willow, glad you were still awake," Nurse Joy said, once she noticed her, smiling. pulling out a tray of Poke balls from below the counter. "Everyone is in excellent condition after a nice rest. Your Cubone also seems to be in relatively good shape considering you just captured her," Nurse Joy said, reaching under the counter for the Poke balls, Misty nodding as she place the Poke balls in her pockets, her bag upstairs. "We hope to see you again."

Misty nodded, not paying any attention to the Nurse's words, her mind already too full. In the back of her mind, she heard the doors of the Pokemon Center ding open for someone, but it didn't pay it any attention as she headed back towards the beige door separating her from her hotel room.

"Hey, is that Meowth walking on _two_ legs?"

"Where's its trainer?"

"It's following that Pikachu –"

Misty cursed her luck; of course she would place her Poke balls into the same pocket as her room key.

"Maybe we should catch it? Pikachu's are hard to find –"

"Wild Pokemon _rarely_ venture into cities –"

"Finally," Misty mumbled, grabbing the top of the keycard, pulling it out.

"Pika!"

"She ain't listening –"

"Did you hear that – that Meowth just spoke –"

Misty grinned, the keycard sliding through the mechanism at the door, allowing her entrance into the hotel portion of the Center. She vaguely heard the people in the Center talking, but she was so tired, she didn't really care.

"Pi-pika!"

Pulling the door open, Misty paused as something collided heavily with her leg.

Misty paused, an eyebrow raised as she glanced down.

Her cerulean coloured eyes paused on the Pikachu at her feet, her heart pounding against her ribcage as she recognized the tilt of its head. Looking up slightly, she noticed a Meowth standing there, a Meowth on _two_ legs.

Misty shook her head, her Poke balls falling from her hands, her grip on the door handle going slack. "It can't be –" she mumbled, shaking her head, her mind blank.

"You's better believe it," Meowth said, out of breath.

"Pikachu . . . Meowth . . ."

And just like that, Misty's carefully constructed world fell apart. The next thing she knew, she was sitting on the ground, her Poke balls scattered on the ground, Pikachu held tightly in her arms as she buried her face into its fur.

She _never _even thought about Pikachu . . .

"Are those your Pokemon?"

Misty blinked, glancing up, coming face-to-face to a bunch of curious stares. Misty let out a slight laugh; she could only imagine how she looked to these other trainers. She nodded, running a hand underneath her eyes. "I thought I had lost them . . ."

The other trainers nodded, muttering something about Team Rocket to each other, one of the trainers scooping up the Poke balls Misty dropped, handing them back to her.

"Thanks," she mumbled, storing them back into her pockets as Pikachu perched himself on her shoulder. "Meowth . . . come with me."

The cat Pokemon nodded, a surprise slightly evident on its face as it ran after Misty, the door closing solidly behind them.

The thoughts in Misty's mind seemed to chase each other faster through her mind. Melody had shown her pictures of Jessie alive, and now Meowth and Pikachu were here.

She didn't want to think about it, but could it mean what she thought?

Could Ash and Brock still be out there . . . somewhere?

###

The reason why Melody referred to Kanto as the boonies at one point, is because of the Black and White series; Ash's rival Tripp seems to always make some reference to that whenever he sees Ash, so I figured I could tie that in here, somewhat.


End file.
